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A 5.5x3.5" vintage photo (NOT a modern reprint) from a collection of well documented Ringling Bros circus photos. This photo originated from the personal collection of Joseph Bradbury, noted circus historian and collector.
Provenance: Joseph Bradbury was a renowned circus historian and a president of the Circus Historical Society who specialized in the documentation of circus equipment and wagons. He is widely recognized for his extensive research and photography, which preserved the history of early 20th-century shows. We acquired this from his estate at sale.
Photo Overview
A charming 1935 snapshot from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, taken in Rockford, Illinois on August 31, 1935. A well-dressed woman in a skirt suit and beret poses proudly in front of a large circus transport truck boldly painted with the words "The Largest Living Hippopotamus in Captivity." The ornate scroll lettering and decorative paintwork on the truck\'s panels are classic circus sideshow signage of the era, and the photo captures a candid, informal moment on the circus lot.
This photo originates from the personal collection of Joseph Bradbury, a president of the Circus Historical Society and one of the foremost authorities on circus history, wagons, and equipment. Provenance from the Bradbury estate adds significant collector value to this already rare piece of American circus history.
Historical Notes
By 1935, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey had been operating as a combined show since 1919, and the annual tour was one of the largest logistical operations in American entertainment. The circus routinely traveled to mid-sized cities like Rockford, IL, setting up enormous tent cities overnight. The hippopotamus has long been one of the most crowd-pleasing exotic animals in circus history - RBBB regularly billed their hippo as the largest in captivity, a claim designed to drive sideshow ticket sales.
The 1935 season was one of the last before the Great Depression and rising labor costs began forcing major operational changes on the show. By the 1940s, many of the elaborate painted sideshow wagons and trucks like this one were being phased out or repainted as the circus modernized. Original photographs documenting these painted vehicles in the field are increasingly rare and sought after by circus collectors.
Print analysis
This is a vintage silver gelatin print. The photo was taken on August 31, 1935, per the back inscription. The border printing date of "JAN 66" on the front indicates this print was developed and printed in January 1966 from the original negative - making this a Type 2 print, produced approximately 30 years after the photograph was taken. The print is c1960s.
Condition
Please see photos for condition. In fair to good vintage condition.
