Circus Poster, Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Circus: America's Greatest Shows, 1894

Summary

In the late nineteenth century, printers developed a lithograph method that produced brightly colored posters. In advance of a circus coming to town, general agents glued these eye-catching generic posters to building walls, fences, and in window displays. To announce when and where the performances would happen, local printers sometimes provided letterpress paper date strips to paste onto the posters' lower margin.

In the late nineteenth century, printers developed a lithograph method that produced brightly colored posters. In advance of a circus coming to town, general agents glued these eye-catching generic posters to building walls, fences, and in window displays. To announce when and where the performances would happen, local printers sometimes provided letterpress paper date strips to paste onto the posters' lower margin.

Artifact

Poster

Date Made

1894

Subject Date

1894

Creators

Strobridge & Co. Lith. 

Place of Creation

United States, Ohio, Cincinnati 

Creator Notes

Printed by Strobridge & Co. Lith., Cincinnati, Ohio.

Collection Title

Poster Collection 

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

35.784.14

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Strobridge Lithographing Co.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Lithography

Color

Multicolored

Dimensions

Height : 40.25 in

Width: 30.25 in

Inscriptions

Poster reads : ADAM / FOREPAUGH / AND/ SELLS / BROTHERS / AMERICA'S / GREATEST / SHOWS / UNITED Inscribed at lower right: Copyright 1894 By/Strobridge/Lith Co./Cinti & NY. In upper right hand corner of image: 98S-No.16

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