This is a one sheet upright from the Erie Litho Co for the 1932 Sells-Floto Circus. This poster was on loan from the Paul Ingrassia Collection.
Fairgoers can enjoy the Circus Museum, located in the Hampden County Building, featuring miniature scale recreations of circus wagons, carousels and carnival midways, acrobats, a side show announcer, hand-painted banners and memorabilia as well as a hand carved replica of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus tent show in 1946.
This Leon Washburn original poster was produced by the Donaldson Lithograph Co. While the colors are not very brilliant, the poster was just exquisite. This one would be pre-1900 as Leon Washburn was out of business by 1900 having sold almost everything by then.
The Circus Museum at the Big "E" is a permanent facility with a full 1/4" scale layout of the old Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show and many showcases with a 3/4" scale parade, acts, the Midway, cookhouse, and the train loading. This showcase is for Dave Merrifield's trapeze under a Helicopter routine.
The Eastern States Exposition, known as the Big "E" has a fascinating history behind it. You can read all about it at http://www.thebige.com/about_history.html This short series of Eastern States Exposition poster photos were taken inside the Brooks Administration Office at the Fairgrounds.
This was a real nice three poster set all framed together. It wasn't dated but there are more days to the Fair than in the 1958 poster so I'm guessing these were from the 1960's.
As many of you know, getting good quality photographs in spotlight conditions isn't very easy. This act was simply titled "Fusion". I have seen statue acts before but this couple was incredible. When she bent over backwards in high heels no less, and he then did a hand stand on her, the entire audienced winced in agony. They were fantastic!
This amazing show was complimented by the grace and dazzling beauty of Sylvia Zerbini and her horse / lyre routine.
The Big "E" was blessed to have this amazing Circus Poster display in the New England building as assembled by Greg Parkinson Enterprises. Chris Berry was the largest provider of posters for this exhibit. So today, I offer you 6 Hagenbeck Wallace original posters found on the grounds at the Big "E" Fair in West Springfield, Massachusetts. If you don't know about him, Chris is a fantastic collector of circus posters and has his own website at http://circusposters.blogspot.com
Again the white spots are glare from the overhead lights. This one sheet was printed by Erie Litho Co. and used in 1933. This was from the Chris Berry Collection.
These next four posters were all found in the Circus Museum which is a permanent display at the Big "E" Fair. Unfortunately they were all above our heads and the lights glared through the glass.
The Hanneford tent made by Cannobia sits back off of the main midway with a walkway of stone blocks leading to the Main Entrance. In this Walkway is the Big "E" Super Circus Hall of Fame honoring the gifted performers that have thrilled so many at the Big "E" over the years. You'll notice as you go through them that not every year has a honoree stone.
This beautiful Stinson Bandorgan was one of two found on the Fairgrounds. Also to be truly enjoyed by all was the background music on the Fairground speakers which played Circus music all day long.
Bob Commerford's petting zoos were set up in two different locations with one Asian elephant at one end of the grounds and their African elephant at the other end.
Henry Bush was kind enough to introduce me to Susan Rix today. We had a nice visit.
Wayne McCary ( in the jacket ) has inducted the Flying Pages into the Big "E" Walk of Fame after the 1 PM show today.
Dr. Eric Metcalf gave a presentation on "Reaching the audience of the 19th century, Tours and circuits."
Circus World Museum Director Steve Freese gave up to the minute details of the Museum's happenings and the preparations for the Great Milwaukee Parade next year on July 12th.
