Circus Poster, Sells Brothers Circus: "Just Returned From Australia," circa 1892

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Artifact Overview

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 Details

Artifact

Poster

Date Made

circa 1892

Subject Date

circa 1892

Creator Notes

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

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

35.784.224

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

Circus poster reads JUST RETURNED FROM AUSTRALIA Printed above in circle: SELLS/BROTHERS on each side of which are advertised various attractions of the circus as well as: 20 YEARS BEFORE/THE PUBLIC, AND THE SUPREME TEST/OF MERIT IS SUCCESS. Printed at bottom: IMPORTANT RECENT ACCESSION.- A FLOCK OF OSTRICHES FROM THE CELEBRATED / OSTRICH FARMS OF CALIFORNIA IMPORTED FROM AFRICA THREE YEARS AGO, AND BY INTELLIGENT CULTURE / HAVE GROWN TO BE THE LARGEST AND MOST SUMPTUOUSLY PLUMAGED BIRDS OF THEIR VARIETY IN THE WORLD. I
Circus Poster, Sells Brothers Circus: "Just Returned From Australia," circa 1892