Lot 310
Barnum & Bailey "Greatest Show on Earth" Circus Poster
The Strobridge Litho Co., 1915. The Paldrens, a Sensational Jumping Act.
Dimensions: 30" x 40"
Estimate: $2000 - 3000
The Schamberger Circus Poster Collection
The lure of the circus has, for many generations, attracted "children of all ages." Today, the circus, like virtually everything else in our lives, is promoted through the air waves and online. But for the better part of a century - starting from the the late 1800's - the public knew the circus was coming to town by posters mounted on every conceivable flat surface. "Modern era" circus posters (produced after World War II), though quite colorful, have never been viewed as anything other than attractive announcements of events to come. On the other hand, circus posters created from 1890 through the late 1920's were often magical works of art. Using intricate sixteen (plate) stone lithography, images produced more than a century ago remain unrivaled in their beauty and sophistication.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of these true antique posters have been lost forever. However, every so often, a few gems surface. Such was the case when Guernsey's received a telephone call from the son of Gerhardt Schamberger. What emerged from that conversation was the fact that Mr. Schamberger was in possession of his lifelong collection of the rarest of the rare... a magnificent assemblage of some of the most exceptional circus posters ever published. Indeed, there may well be specific images within this grouping that are the only known surviving examples. Accordingly, we at Guernsey's are honored to present the following poster from the Schamberger Circus Poster Collection.