Carny Collection

FAT LADY, 19th CENTURY. Hannah Battersby, a 700-lb. American circus fat lady. Photograph, 19th century

TRAPEZE ARTISTS, 1890. American lithograph poster, 1890

At the Cannstatt Folk Festival, on King Karl's Bridge, Beer Festival and Amusement Park, 1889, Germany, Historic
1900s, 19th-century, 2 people, activities, activity, annual fair, annual fairs, baden, baden-wuerttemberg, baden-wurttemberg, bierfest, bridge, bridges, businesses, carnie, carny, celebrate

Rooster Riding in the Mark, Harvest Festival in the Villages of East Havel Land, Germany, 1889, Historic
aboriginal, aboriginals, accurate, annual fair, annual fairs, black, black-and-white, black-white, bunch of, businesses, carnie, carny, celebrate, celebrating, celebrations, close, close up, cock

SIDESHOW: CAMEL GIRL, 1886. Sideshow pitch card featuring Ella Harper, the Camel Girl, 1886

FAT LADY & THIN MAN. John (born 1832) and Hannah Battersby an American circus thin man and fat lady. Cabinet photograph, 19th century

POSTER: SNAKE CHARMERS. American circus poster, 1892

LEOPARD TRAINER, c1906. Big cat trainer Dolores Vallecita and a leopard. Photograph, c1906

QUAKER GIANTS, 1849. The Quaker giant and giantess, exhibited at P.T. Barnums American Museum in New York City, 1849

CIRCUS FREAKS, c1880. Waino and Plutano, the original Wild Men of Borneo, who were actually mild-mannered brothers named Hiram W. and Barney Davis. Original cart-de-visite photograph, c1880

Equestrian acrobats in a Mongol circus. Left detail of a painted silk handscroll, Yuan or early Ming Dynasty
CHINA: HORSE RIDERS. Equestrian acrobats in a Mongol circus. Left detail of a painted silk handscroll, Yuan or early Ming Dynasty, 13th-15th century, after Chao Meng Fu (1254-1322)

CIRCUS, c1937. Portrait of the performers and crew of the Federal Theatre Project Worlds Greatest Circus. Photograph by Dick Rose, c1937

CIRCUS POSTER, c1898. The Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers, Americas Greatest Shows Consolidated - the Ryan, Weitzel & Zorella s. Chromolithograph, c1898

CIRCUS POSTER, c1891. Asian acrobats performing at a circus. Chromolithograph, c1891

CIRCUS POSTER, c1890. Sideshow performers dressed in Turkish, Japanese and Sudanese costumes. Lithograph, c1890

CIRCUS POSTER, c1890. Trapeze artists performing at a circus. Lithograph, c1890

CIRCUS POSTER, c1900. The Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth, Wonderful Performing Geese, Roosters and Musical Donkey. Chromolithograph, c1900

CONEY ISLAND: PERFORMERS. Three Hindu musicians perform at Luna Park amusement park, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. Photograph, early 20th century

SIDESHOW POSTER, 1941. Poster for Ruth the Acrobat in the sideshow at the Vermont State Fair in Rutland, Vermont. Photograph by Jack Delano, 1941

LOUISIANA: SIDESHOW, 1938. Snake eater at a fair in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Photograph by Russell Lee, November 1938

CIRCUS ADVERTISEMENT, 1936. Posters covering the side of a building advertising the Downie Brothers three ring circus near Lynchburg, South Carolina. Photograph by Walker Evans, 1936

CIRCUS ADVERTISEMENT, 1936. Billboard posters covering the side of a building advertising the Downie Brothers three ring circus near Lynchburg, South Carolina. Photograph by Walker Evans, 1936

MATTHEW ARNOLD (1822-1888). English poet and critic. Caricature, 1871, by Frederick Waddy

ASTLEYs AMPITHEATRE, c1810. Interior of Astleys Amphitheatre at Lambeth, London, England. Aquatint, c1810, by Augustus Pugin and Thomas Rowlandson

TIGHTROPE WALKER. A tightrope walker performing at a circus in Venice. Drawing, 18th or 19th century

CONEY ISLAND: LUNA PARK. An open air circus performance at Luna Park amusement park, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. Photograph, c1910-1915

CONEY ISLAND: SIDESHOW. A Free Show at Dreamland amusement park, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. Photograph, c1910-1915

CONEY ISLAND: DRAND FAMILY. The Whole Drand Family. Sideshow performers at Luna Park amusement park, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. Photograph, c1910-1915

CIRCUS POSTER, 1899. The Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Shows Combined - Phenomenal Acts of Contortion. Chromolithograph, 1899

CIRCUS POSTER, c1890. Cirque d Hiver, Boulevard des Filles-du-Calvaire, Tous Les Soirs a 8 Heures. Chromolithograph, c1890

CIRCUS POSTER, c1873. The Leslies. Lithograph, c1873

CIRCUS POSTER, c1898. The Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers, Americas Greatest Shows Consolidated - Madame Yucca, the Female Hercules, the Strongest Woman on Earth... Chromolithograph, c1898

CIRCUS POSTER, c1899. Ringling Bros. Crandall and his comic burlesque equestrian act on his riding mule Thunderbolt. Chromolithograph, c1899

JOSEPH MERRICK (1864-1890). English medical anomaly, known as the Elephant Man

ALHAMBRA THEATRE: CIRCUS. The American circus performed at the Alhambra Theatre in London, England. Wood engraving, English, 1858

ENGLAND: PANTOMIME, 1883. Every One His Own Pantomime. Engraving, English, 1883

ZEB GREEN, 1890. Zeb Green, an American circus performer with Adam Forepaughs circus. Photograph, 1890

CHANG AND ENG (1811-1874). The original Siamese Twins. Photographed by Mathew Brady

PHINEAS TAYLOR BARNUM (1810-1891). American showman. Original cabinet photograph

DOG-FACED BOY. Feodor Jeftichew (1868-1904), known as Jo-Jo the Dog-faced Boy. Photographed 1890s

PERFORMER, c1880. Portrait of an unidentified performer, probably for a circus, c1880

CIRCUS PERFORMER, c1910. Jack W. C. Barnett, a circus performer with Barnum and Bailey s
CIRCUS PERFORMER, c1910. Jack W.C. Barnett, a circus performer with Barnum and Bailey s, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Photograph, c1910

CONEY ISLAND: CIRCUS, c1910. The open-air circus at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. Photograph, c1910

LUNA PARK, CIRCUS, c1900. The circus rings at Luna Park, Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. Photograph, c1900

AMERICAN CIRCUS, 1874. The Circus. Oil on canvas, 1874, by A. Logan

JUGGLER, 18th CENTURY. Woodcut, French, 18th century

CIRCUS POSTER, 1900. Lithograph, American

TRAVELLING CIRCUS CALLIOPE. The Calliope player is Maybelle Stewart James, mother of the American swing band leader, Harry James (1916-1983)

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Step right up and experience the captivating world of the carny. From trapeze artists soaring through the air with grace, to beer festivals and amusement parks that transport you back to 19th-century Germany, this is a journey you won't want to miss. Imagine yourself at the Cannstatt Folk Festival, standing on King Karl's Bridge surrounded by laughter and joy. The Beer Festival entices your senses with its lively atmosphere and delicious brews. And just beyond lies an enchanting Amusement Park, filled with thrilling rides and whimsical attractions. In another corner of history, witness a Rooster Riding in the Mark during the Harvest Festival in East Havel Land. This digitally restored reproduction takes us back to 1889 when villagers celebrated their bountiful harvests with merriment and excitement. But it's not just about festivities; carnivals also showcase extraordinary individuals who defy expectations. Ella Harper, known as the Camel Girl, mesmerizes audiences with her unique talent showcased on a sideshow pitch card from 1886. And let's not forget John and Hannah Battersby - he being an American circus thin man while she was a remarkable 700-pound fat lady - both defying societal norms while captivating crowds under the big top. The allure continues as we delve into snake charmers enticing serpents in an American circus poster from 1892. The mystique deepens further as Dolores Vallecita fearlessly tames leopards alongside other exotic animals in stunning photographs dating back to c1906. Travel even further into time where Waino and Plutano astound as Wild Men of Borneo in circuses around c1880. Their presence evokes wonderment mixed with curiosity about these enigmatic figures who captivated audiences worldwide. And finally, equestrian acrobats take center stage in ancient China during Yuan or early Ming Dynasty times (13th-15th century).