Circus Poster, Barnum and Bailey Present "Miss Allen, The Greatest Living Equestrienne," circa 1890

01

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 1890

Subject Date

circa 1890

Creator Notes

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

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

35.784.165

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 printed at top: THE BARNUM & BAILEY GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH Printed at bottom: MISS ALLEN The Greatest Living Equestrienne. Championess of All Countries. / First Appearance in America after Enchanting all Europe with her Equestrian Feats. Chosen after Competition, from the Most Renowned European Riders at the Highest Salary Ever Paid. / THE WORLD'S GRANDEST, LARGEST, BEST, AMUSEMENT INSTITUTION Inscribed lower center: THE STROBRIDGE Lith Co Cin'ti-NY-Lon. Printed upper right in image: B-64