Sells & Downs # 1

Willie Sells is a story all by himself. In fact there is a book called "The Circus World of Willie Sells." Willie Sells was an adopted son of one of the respectable Sells Bros. of Ohio Circus fame. He became a performer and accomplished horseman in his time but became power hungry also and wanted to have his own show instead of be in a show. He took off and started many show titles such as Sells and Andress in 1890, William Sells Great London Shows in 1891, Sells and Renfrow from 1892 to 1893, Great Syndicate Shows from 1894 to 1895, Sells and Gray from 1900 to 1901, then Sells and Downs from 1902 to 1905. While the Sells Bros. were a very clean show, Willie would cheat ya any way he could. His partners also found out the same thing. Willie was basically a spoiled brat and enjoyed upsetting the Sells Bros. values. By 1907, the Sells Bros. name was well known for good family circus. The Great Otto Floto Show brought on Willie Sells used his name and by 1908 they went out of Denver, Co. Winter quarters as the Sells-Floto Circus. Ringling now owned the Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. title so when the Sells-Floto Circus started using the images of the Sells bros. on their posters, Ringling slapped them with a Federal suit that put an end to the use of the Sells Bros. in their advertising but didn't stop the name.

This particular ad was in the Billboard on May 20, 1905 on page 37.