There were times when a show's needs changed and they had surplus equipment and / or animals to sell. Here we find an ad offering two female Asian elephants for sale. They were bought by William P. Hall in Lancaster, Missouri and then he contracted with the Campbell Bros. Circus less than 10 days later to lease to own. Mr. Hall got Alice back in 1912 when the Campbell show was foreclosed by the bank. Lulu's disposition is unknown after this. This ad was found in Billboard on March 23, 1907.

Menagerie suppliers

Any circus worth its weight carried animals. Every wagon show needed lots of horses to move from town to town. Menageries were an attraction all by themselves in the mid 1800's without any performance. So for the interested parties that needed animals for their shows, there were various brokers or dealers that could supply the animals that were required. Some were placed by order, some were ready for instant delivery being held in warehouses and some zoos for the time being. This particular ad was in the New York Clipper on March 11, 1899, on page 34.

Circus for sale!

There were times when a show didn't quite make as much as they hoped for and then had to dispose of said items. Especially anything they had to feed. Here we find the John F. Hummel show up for sale in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1898. We know from other historical references that the Campbell Bros. out of Fairbury, Nebraska bought all of the train, the Elk, the Kangaroo and the sacred cattle. I don't know who bought the rest. This ad was found in the New York Clipper on Dec. 3, 1898 on page 683.

Help Wanted # 1

Every show on the road needed help to move the show, advertise, perform, book it, take care of animals, railraods, etc. Some shows used really nice artwork in their ads such as seen here by the The Great Floto Shows. The contact was Otto Floto. the show had not started to use the Sells Floto title yet. That would come about in 1906. This fine ad was found in the NY Clipper on October 29, 1904 on page 845.

Help Wanted # 2

The Great Walter L. Main show posted this ad in the NY Clipper on March 11, 1899, page 34. How about the term "Chandelier" man? Things have really changed over the years.

Circus Printers # 5

There were occassions when the Printing firms were still owed substantial amounts of money from unpaid bills when shows went under. Here we see Leon Washburn selling his entire circus through the Donaldson address. This ran in the April 22, 1899 issue on page 157.

As you can see, I haven't posted in awhile. I sent them all in backwards. Better luck next time.

Circus Printers # 4

The Donaldson Litho Co. would eventually become one of the greatest printers of Circus paper in America. They would rank right up there with the Strobridge, Erie, Courier, Enquirer, and Riverside Printing firms. This ad appearred in the October 22, 1898 issue on Page 583.

Circus Printers # 3

The Ackermann-Quigley Lithographing Co. operated from 1894 to the 1930's. The company moved three times over the years in Kansas City, Mo. The president was J.A. Quigley and Vice-president was G.A. Ackermann. In later years the Ackermann would be dropped.

This oufit printed for many shows over the years including the Campbell Bros. Great Consolidated Shows out of Fairbury, Nebraska. When the bank foreclosed on the Campbell show in 1912. the Ackermann-Quigley Lithographing Co. filed a suit for $10,000.00 in unpaid printing costs. This ad ran in the June 13, 1908 issue on page 453.

Circus Printers # 2

This was a Printing firm that was used by the Great Wm. P. Hall show in 1905, its only season on the road.

This appearred in the March 25, 1899 issue on page 75.

Circus Printers #1

Around the turn of the century, The entertainment world was covered by many different forms of press but the New York Clipper and Billboard were the most predominant. Flyers, Handbills, tickets, posters, show cards, and anything else relating to publicity was being printed by many different Printing houses. These many have been by woodblock printings, engravings, typesettings or lithograhy methods. Here are a couple of the lesser known and more famous Printing houses as they advertised in the New York Clipper. This is from April 29, 1899 found on page 174.