An attractive set of six official German Barnum and Bailey postcards (three in colour), produced in 1900 or 1901 when the circus toured in Germany.
They show elephants with acrobats, a cat orchestra, several acts with horses and dogs, and a state-carriage drawn by 40 horses. But perhaps the two most interesting postcards are the ones showing sideshow performers, or 'freaks'.
Among the performers portrayed are Laloo 'the Double Bodied Man from India', Annie Jones 'the Bearded Child', Charles B. Tripp 'the Armless Wonder', heavily tattooed Frank Howard, the albino Rob Roy, a sword-swallower, a human calculator, Billy Wells 'the Iron Skull Man' John (James) Coffey 'the Skeleton Dude', Jo-Jo 'the Dog-Faced-Man', and Felix Wehrle 'The Elastic-Skin Man'.
Six official German Barnum and Bailey postcards, including sideshow performers
[Circus - Freaks].
Set of six Barnum & Bailey circus postcards.
[Germany], [1900-1901].
9,4 x 14,2 cm. Three never postally used (but one with a name on the front); the three others stamped and addressed in ink and with handwriting on the front. Overall in very good condition.