Sideshow Collection

Saartje Baartman, also known as The Hottentot Venus
Saartje ( Sarah ) Baartman (1789-1815), also known as The Hottentot Venus - an African servant girl from South Africas Eastern Cape of the Khoisan tribe brought to London in 1810 & exhibited at freak

The Pain-Proof Man & Captain Ringman Jack - Ripley s
Arthur Plumhoff The Human Pincushion - The Pain-Proof Man (left) and Captain Ringman Jack, who lifted weights through holes through his breasts

Engraving depicting a man having a turn on the galvanic battery which would shock the person holding it, 19th century
5309440 Engraving depicting a man having a turn on the galvanic battery which would shock the person holding it, 19th century; (add.info)

Various examples of the use of the centre of gravity
5310192 Various examples of the use of the centre of gravity; (add.info.: Engraving depicting various examples of the use of the centre of gravity. Dated 19th century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Voulez-vous de l'or...des diamans.. 1838. Creator: Honore Daumier
Voulez-vous de l'or...des diamans.. 1838. Voulez-vous de l'or, voulez-vous de l'argent, voulez-vous des diamans, des millions des milliasses? Approchez, faites vous server [

The Show-man, 1799. Creator: Monogrammist J.A
The Show-man, 1799. Keep your eye close to the Glass - and you will see a large / vide place full of Death and Destruction - where more / plagues await de frequenters den contained in de famous Box

The Quacksalver, 1648. Creator: Adriaen van Ostade
The Quacksalver, 1648

Sidewalk performance or carnival performance, Cliff Dwellers, between 1896 and 1911. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Sidewalk performance or carnival performance, Cliff Dwellers, between 1896 and 1911. Crowds at an attraction featuring Native Americans

Sidewalk performance or carnival performance, Cliff Dwellers, between 1896 and 1911. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Sidewalk performance or carnival performance, Cliff Dwellers, between 1896 and 1911. An attraction featuring Native Americans

The Humours of Horse Racing, Between the Races, c1816 (1886). Creator: Unknown
The Humours of Horse Racing, Between the Races, c1816 (1886). From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper Volume 33. January to June, 1886"

The Serpent-Charmers at the Gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's-Park, 1850. Creator: Pearson
The Serpent-Charmers at the Gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's-Park, [London], 1850. These remarkable persons...state that they are of the tribe called Rufaiah

Stephan Bibrowski (1890 - 1932), know as Lionel the Lion-faced Man. Lionel traveled to the United States and started appearing with the Barnum and Bailey Circus

C H Schafers Midget Circus Troupe - Munich
circa 1910s

Jolly Nellie (642 pounds) - whilst at an exhibition in Tokyo, Japan. From the small coal mining community of Jobs near the Athens-Hocking county line

c. 1920s - Tom and Alice obese sideshow performers
Early 20th century vintage press photograph - Tom and Alice obese sideshow performers arriving in Los Angeles. Probably Alice Dunbar

c. 1920s - Madame Alice fat lady performer
Picture captioned Madame Alice - possibly Alice Dunbar, nicknamed Alice from Dallas who worked for Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey for nearly 20 years

A man electrocuting his wife for a fairground sideshow. Boston, Lincolnshire. 10th May 1957

Two motorcycle riders in action on the wall of death, Southend. 26th June 1929

Edwardian elegance at Torquay Regatta Fair Circa 1910

Sidonia de Barcsy - The Bearded Lady Baroness
Sidonia de Barcsy (1866-1925) - The Hungarian Bearded Lady Baroness. Her husband, Baron Antonio de Barcsy knew there was a fortune to be had and actively cultivated a career for Sidonia

Minnesota State Fair: balloon vendor, 1900?. Creator: Unknown
Minnesota State Fair: balloon vendor, 1900?

Minnesota State Fair: refreshment stand, 1900?. Creator: Unknown
Minnesota State Fair: refreshment stand, 1900?

Minnesota State Fair: children on small merry-go-round, 1900?. Creator: Unknown
Minnesota State Fair: children on small merry-go-round, 1900?

Minnesota State Fair: African American on soap box using hand puppet, 1900?. Creator: Unknown
Minnesota State Fair: African American on soap box using hand puppet, 1900?

Wadbrook's Royal Electrograph Bioscope Show early 1900s

A fairground game, probably 1940s

Funfair side show

Only A Penny, Try Your Lungs! - fairground scene Date: 1879

Only A Penny, Try your weight, Sir? - fairground scene
Only A Penny, Try your weight, Sir? - weighing machine in fairground scene Date: 1879

Only A Penny, Don't be afraid to hit! - fairground scene
Only A Penny, Don't be afraid to hit! - strength test at fairground Date: 1879

Fortune Telling with a Crystal Ball at the local Fete Date: circa 1947

View of the grounds at the Vermont state fair, Rutland, 1941. Creator: Jack Delano
View of the grounds at the Vermont state fair, Rutland

Side shows at the Vermont state fair, Rutland, 1941. Creator: Jack Delano
Side shows at the Vermont state fair, Rutland

Poster for a side show at the Vermont state fair, Rutland, 1941. Creator: Jack Delano
Poster for a side show at the Vermont state fair, Rutland

Enjoying the Evening Cool at Ryogoku Bridge in Edo... Japan, late 18th-early 19th century. Creator: Kitao Masayoshi
Enjoying the Evening Cool at Ryogoku Bridge in Edo (Edo Ryogokubashi yusuzumi no kei), Japan, late 18th-early 19th century. People promenading on the bank of the Sumida River in what is now Tokyo

At a County Fair, 1898. Creator: Philip William May
At a County Fair, 1898

Sideshow at the fair (colour litho)
5198409 Sideshow at the fair (colour litho) by Garnier, Jules Arsene (1847-89) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sideshow at the fair)

Faux the Conjurors booth, Bartholomew Fair, London
Isaac Fawkes, Faux the Conjurors booth, Bartholomew Fair, London. 1720s

German Fairground with Sideshows - Mainz, Germany. The stalls include the chance to see a Giant Lady, a South sea Islander, an electric shick machine and a balloon seller. Date: 1899

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Step right up and step into the world of sideshows, where the extraordinary meets the ordinary. From Saartje Baartman, famously known as The Hottentot Venus, to The Pain-Proof Man and Captain Ringman Jack of Ripley's fame, these spectacles captivated audiences with their unique talents and appearances. In this captivating photo from the early 1900s, we catch a glimpse of Wadbrook's Royal Electrograph Bioscope Show. A mesmerizing display that transported viewers to another realm through moving pictures. But it wasn't just films that drew crowds; fairgrounds were also home to thrilling games like Three Ball Charlie or testing one's lung capacity for only a penny. And if you were feeling brave enough, why not try your weight or test your strength? Fortune telling was also a popular attraction at local fetes, with crystal balls revealing secrets yet unknown. Meanwhile, Stephan Bibrowski, better known as Lionel the Lion-faced Man astounded onlookers with his unique appearance. As we delve into history's funfair side shows and marvel at Nora Hildebrandt in her striking black-and-white portrait from 1895, we are reminded that these displays were not merely curiosities but glimpses into humanity's fascination with what lies beyond our everyday lives. So come one, come all. Step inside this captivating world of sideshows where wonders await around every corner. Let yourself be transported back in time to an era when entertainment came alive under colorful tents and curious souls sought out extraordinary experiences.