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Showing posts with label At the Circus in Black and White. Show all posts
Showing posts with label At the Circus in Black and White. Show all posts

Gay Aquatic Review and Mike Duffy Miniature Sideshow Carnival At the Circus in Black and White



I've done thirty or more "at the circus in black and white" posts here over the years, but this one is most curious.  The snapshot appears to show a MINIATURE circus.  Small period signs announce the performers.  A tiny "Cotton Club" stage and show.  The snapshot reverse reads "Mike Duffy and nephew on horse.  Carnival Midway front and background".  No date, but 1930 to 1950 I presume.  I have no idea what the "Gay Aquatic Revue" is.  

Original snapshot photograph of miniature Duffy Circus Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb 

A Pair of Zebras at the Circus Original Frank A. Fernekes photograph circa 1940 Collection Jim Linderman



 A pair of zebras.  On reverse Photograph by Frank A. Fernekes, Hollywood California.  "Backstage" at a circus with a line of performers waiting their turn.   Frank Fernekes (1872-1953) was a commercial photographer with an interest in circus and Wild West themes; he was born and resided in New York until sometime before 1927, then moved permanently to Hollywood, California and was active through the 1940s.  More information about the photographer is HERE at Duke University Libraries special collection.

Circus Photograph by Frank A. Fernekes Collection Jim Linderman

Animal Trainers At the Circus in Black and White #34 on Dull Tool Dim Bulb collection Jim Linderman



It has been a while, but here is At the Circus in Black and White number 34, the latest installment of the series here on DTDB.  Animal Trainers!  Top is Buckles Woodcock, Elephant trainer extreme.  Second is an unknown Dog Trainer.  

Others in the series are found HERE

Snapshots circa 1959 collection Jim Linderman

Books and Ebooks by Jim Linderman available HERE

Spectacular Circus Banners Hanging in 1963 At the Circus in Black and White (and Color) #34 collection Jim Linderman


A group of exceptional circus banners in a pair of 1963 snapshots of the Ringling Brothers Barnum Bailey Circus.  Folks often think the glory days of the circus banner was long gone by then, but these look pretty good.  A real phantasmagoria!  Note matronly visitors standing near the entrance.  

Pair of original snapshot photographs dated 1963  Collection Jim Linderman


AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE is a occasional feature on Dull Tool Dim Bulb. This is number 34 in the series.

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Three Nights Only One Big Show! At the Circus in Black and White series #33

ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION JIM LINDERMAN

Frederico Fellini meets Tod Browning in this crazy period photograph of a wandering troupe.  Since Blockhead and friend take up two seats on the truck, they get the middle of the picture.  A trick-shooter,  a cootch girl, a band (of sorts) and you've got four shows a day.  They were there a while, electric lights line the tent.  One of a hundred such touring shows during the 1930s and I wish I could identify the players.  I see ten good stories here, and one more on the dummy.  



AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE is a occasional feature on Dull Tool Dim Bulb. This is number 33 in the series.

Original 8 x 10 photograph, circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman


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Hagenbeck Wallace At The Circus in Black and White #31 The World's Lowest Type Human


Caption on reverse "September 2, 1938 L.A Calif. Afternoon crowd now leaving the circus. Sideshow Band was playing in the midway."

Look close and you will see one of the acts was "The World's Lowest Type Human" and I hate to speculate on that one. Suzie born with the Skin of an Elephant.


If the date on the reverse of this photo is correct, you are seeing the sun go down in the afternoon and the lights go out in the evening. Hagenbeck-Wallace ceased operation the same year.


For those of you animal rights folks out there, in 1913 the circus lost 8 elephants, 21 lions and 8 performing horses in a flood in 1913. That pales in comparison to the train wreck they had five years later, in which an engineer further down the track fell asleep at the throttle and crashed his train into the rear of the Hagenbeck's. Kerosene lamps on the circus train spread fire immediately to the wooden cars, and 86 circus members died, another 127 were injured.

AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE is a occasional feature on Dull Tool Dim Bulb. This is number 31 in the series.

Original Snapshot 1938 Collection Jim Linderman


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Mexican Circus Performers At the Circus in Black and White # 29







Entry number 29 in the Dull Tool Dim Bulb AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE Series is a trio of original circa 1950 snapshots of a most handsome traveling circus troupe from Mexico. México circo ambulante!

Original Photographs Collection Jim Linderman


AT THE CIRCUS in BLACK and WHITE is a continuing series on Dull Tool Dim Bulb This is Entry number 29.

Fanny Rice (You All Know Her) At the Circus in Black and White #27








Well, maybe you don't know Fanny Rice having confused her for the much more famous Fanny Brice, but a Fanny is a Fanny. (And Fanny Rice had a big hit with the song "You All Know Her" even if you don't)


Original Vaudeville/Circus/Burlesque Photograph circa 1890 with players Identified Collection Jim Linderman


AT THE CIRCUS in BLACK and WHITE is a continuing series on Dull Tool Dim Bulb This is Entry number 27.

Bike Tricks in the Dark Bicycle At the Circus in Black and White #25










#25 in the Dull Tool Dim Bulb Series "At the Circus in Black and White" isn't really at the circus, but certainly this pair of balancing artists did their share of work at them. Floating!

Set of Four Snapshots circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

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Miniature Sausage Grinder and the Urban Word of the Year At the Circus in Black and White #24




Click to enlarge, and you will see this handmade tiny circus even has a sausage grinder. (?) Now as the term has come to mean "a very aggressive and active female sex partner" according to the Urban Dictionary (One of my favorite sites, and a reminder now is the time to vote for your Urban Word of the Year ("Vatican Roulette" another name for the rhythm method or "Hit the Slide" to leave a job in a particularly dramatic manner are my favorites) I am wondering what the carver had in mind here...

MONKEY grinders, or ORGAN grinders were common at circus and carnival gatherings, but they were hand-turned musical instruments with a simian dancer, not meat makers. You have to cook sausage first, and this little guy doesn't appear to have sterno. Maybe he was selling dogs in buns.

Pair of original snapshots of a handmade miniature circus, date unknown Collection Jim Linderman

#24 in Series "At the Circus in Black and White" on Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog

EGYPTIA and NASCA'S BAND Show Beautiful At the Circus in Black and White #23



"At the Circus in Black and White #23 (or in this case, more of a sepia) is an old albumen of a Girl Show. Like "Mermaids" from Figi, "Aztec" Children, "Mysteries from the Orient" and "Savages" who were really from Brooklyn, Sideshow operators played on our cultural ignorance when naming their acts. Presented here, some dancing girls from Egyptia!



Original Photograph, circa 1900 Collection Jim Linderman (formerly Collection Captain L. Harvey Cann of Sarasota, Florida)

Bump and Grind WAY too Early (At the Circus in Black and White #22)


Child labor laws seem not to have applied to carnival sideshow grinds during the 1930s as this photograph attests. The young dancer can not be much more than 16, but I guess it is hard to tell. She certainly doesn't quite match up to the painted silhouette on the barker's stand...for one thing her hands are hardly thrown up in joy. It is quite rare to see a photo of a dancing girl (literally) taken during the daytime at even the sleaziest carnival...but one "H. H." has done just that. Girl shows of this nature are as old as the carnival itself, but they frequently took place at night after most patrons (and the law, who was frequently paid off) went home. Hence the name "Midnight Ramble. In this case, they should have been checking ID around lunchtime. A young hoofer to be sure, but to me, a bit too young. Show business of any kind is hard despite the facade of glamour...this photo shows an underside not often (or easy) to see.

(Also posted on Vintage Sleaze the Blog)

Original Untitled Snapshot circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman