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The Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show On Earth [Booklets]

c1897–1913. Two softcover octavo booklets, one stamped with performance details “Olympia, Addison Road Station, London, commencing ‘Boxing Day’ Monday, Dec. 27” on back cover, one with ex-libris bookplate for magician “E.A. Dearn”, 24.3 x 18.5cm and 25.6 x 17.7cm. Slight foxing, minor chips and tears overall, one with missing corners to wrappers and loose binding.

Provenance: Magician E.A. Dearn estate. Booklet details include (1) Barnum and Bailey’s Book of Wonders: With truthful illustrations by noted American artists, printed in America by the Courier Co., Buffalo, NY, USA, c1897, 15pp. James Anthony Bailey took his American travelling circus for their first European tour which started on December 27, 1897, and lasted until 1902; and (2) Program of the Performances and Exhibitions of The Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth, Madison Square Garden [NY], March 22 to April 19, 1913, 48pp. “Barnum & Bailey presented the historical spectacle of Cleopatra for its 1912 and 1913 seasons.” Ref: The Huntington Library; Wiki.

Both booklets are profusely illustrated with colour and black-and-white images of animals and performers.

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Item #CL199-57

Price (AUD): $770.00  other currencies