For Sale Original Vintage Circus Posters Memorabilia Collectibles
P.T. Barnum's Circus Treasure Children's Book
Highly Rare 19tn Century PT Barnum Circus Children's Book
P.T. Barnum's Circus, White & Allen, Lith. By G.H. Buek & Co., New York With Publisher Acknowledgement Of Strobridge Litho Co., 1888. Text and Illustrations arranged For Little People By P.T. Barnum and Sarah J. Burke. Lithograph Illustrations and story. 26 Pages, Complete. Scattered Wear To Cover Consistent with age and use. Inscribed, Gift Of Aunt Annie, X-Mas, 1888.
Based on research this appears to be a True First Edition First State issue. This title “P.T. Barnum’s Circus” issue is very rare and we could only find one other, all the others are titled “P.T. Barnum's Circus, Museum and Menagerie.“. It appears this earlier version was originally released in Three separate volumes, “Circus”, “Museum” and “Menagerie” that was later combined into one title, “P.T. Barnum's Circus, Museum and Menagerie. “
Size: 10.5x12.5"
This oversized format was common for richly illustrated 19th-century titles aimed at general audiences or children — large enough to showcase the full-page chromolithographs that depict circus acts and curiosities.
* See enlargeable images
What I also discovered while researching this 19th century children’s book was that the cover’s on most all the others had faded. Note the nice bright survived colors on this gem.
This is a very unusual copy of this book, likely to be an earlier edition than those one usually sees. Notably. its title differs from all others I've seen, which usually is: P.T. Barnum's Circus, Museum and Menagerie.
Important Note: It is of utmost Rarity and of historical significance and highly desirable to find any surviving artifacts from Barnum & Bailey during PT Barnum’s lifetime as he passed in 1891.
