Trade Card Featuring Jumbo the Elephant, circa 1881

Showman P. T. Barnum purchased Jumbo, an 11-foot, 6-ton African elephant, from the London Zoo in 1882. Barnum shipped the giant pachyderm to America to star in his circus. Jumbo became a national sensation. Manufacturers and merchants capitalized on Jumbo's popularity by referencing the elephant in advertising materials like trade cards. This card, part of a series, depicts Jumbo giving rides at the London zoo.