Circus Poster, Sells Brother Circus Presents the Big Show of the World, Featuring Trained Hippos, 1895

THF81684 / Circus Poster, Sells Brother Circus Presents the Big Show of the World, Featuring Trained Hippos, 1895
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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

1895

Creator Notes

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

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

35.784.51

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

Printed at top: THE BIG SHOW OF THE WORLD Printed in cartouche: THE / GREATEST / ANIMAL FEATURE IN THE WORLD / A HUGE FULL GROWN MALE / HIPPOPOTAMUS & TREMENDOUS / FEMALE COMPANION. The Only Pair of Real Nile Behemoths / Ever Seen in Any Travelling / EXHIBITION. / $100,000 Backs Up / This Assertion. Printed below: SELLS/ BROTHERS/ ENORMOUS UNITED SHOWS. Inscribed at lower right: Copyright 1895 By / THE / STROBRIDGE/ LITH -Co / Cin'ti- NY. Printed at upper right of image: S-6