(11) Pieces of Early 20th Century Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus Ephemera. Includes a print of a one-sheet billboard on the Ringling Bros from 1905, the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus Magazines from 1940 and 1942, an official tour list and guide for the 1945 season shows with legal jargon on the back, 3 postcards from the circus Winter Quarters in Sarasota, Florida, three tickets for different shows from 1947 to 1956 (one with the stub detached), and a souvenir pinback button. 

Largest Size: 14 x 11 in. 

P. T. Barnum and William Cameron Coup revolutionized the American circus in the 1870s by introducing the travelling P. T. Barnum’s Museum, Menagerie & Circus, featuring multiple rings and the first use of trains for transport. This grand format, epitomized by the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show On Earth, set the standard for a new era, emphasizing large-scale spectacles, zoological exhibitions, and physical comedy over traditional clown dialogue and equestrian feats. Following a decline after World War II due to competition from television and criticism from animal rights activists, the industry evolved with the rise of the "New Circus" movement, which produced modern shows like Cirque du Soleil.

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