Booklet: "Illustrated and Descriptive History of the Animals..." with lion tamer on cover
Barnum and Van Amburgh's Museum and Menagerie Combination (associated with)
1866 (Date manufactured/created)
Booklet titled "Illustrated and Descriptive History of the Animals contained in Barnum and Van Amburgh's Museum and Menagerie Combination." The 70-page booklet was published in 1866, and would have been available for purchase as a souvenir at Barnum's American Museum in New York City. Unlike later versions of Barnum's "History of Animals" booklets sold at his circus shows, the cover is relatively plain and simple, with black ink on yellow paper. In the center a modestly-sized illustration features a wild animal tamer,standing between a tiger and a male lion, grasping the napes of their necks as if pulling them apart as they try to attack one another. Beneath the image, P. T. Barnum is listed as the General Director, and Hyatt Frost as the Manager. The booklet was published in New York by S. Booth, 199 & 201 Centre St., Cor.[corner] Howard [Street].
The content includes a biography of I. A. Van Amburgh, descriptions of animals with illustrations, and a six-page biography of P. T. Barnum, followed by a listing of Barnum's Jenny Lind concerts and the receipts from each. The famous concerts took place years before, in 1850 and 1851. Even though this booklet, with its focus on wild animals, appears to pertain to the circus, Barnum's enterprise at this time was not the circus, but rather a museum and menagerie, as the title states. He was showing wild animals in his museum decades before his circus enterprises. This booklet pertains to the second iteration of Barnum's American Museum, as the first museum burned in July of 1865. An illustration of the second museum, located at 537, 539, and 541 Broadway, is featured inside the cover.
The illustrations include: "The Colossal Golden Chariot"; a portrait of I. A. VanAmburgh; elephants; a lion; a Brazilian tiger; a South American tiger; a royal Bengal tiger; a leopard, lion and tiger tamer; a Tibet bear; a giraffe; a black bear; an Asiatic nyl-ghau; Japan maskin swine; a Polish swan; a zebra; an African porcupine; spotted axis deer; an ichneumon; a badger; a zebu, a prairie wolf; an anteater; an American fallow deer; a Peruvian lama; black-headed Persian sheep; a white peacock; gold and silver pheasants; Spanish macaws; alpacas; pelicans; lori grandi; the minor menagerie; Australian cockatiels; a powee; and cockatoos. (In some cases the spelling of the animal names in the booklet are different).
Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that still bears his name, but his circus ventures came about when he was in his 60s. The first show was called P.T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus. Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum’s show the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum and Bailey circus. The name remained until 1919 when it became the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus.
The content includes a biography of I. A. Van Amburgh, descriptions of animals with illustrations, and a six-page biography of P. T. Barnum, followed by a listing of Barnum's Jenny Lind concerts and the receipts from each. The famous concerts took place years before, in 1850 and 1851. Even though this booklet, with its focus on wild animals, appears to pertain to the circus, Barnum's enterprise at this time was not the circus, but rather a museum and menagerie, as the title states. He was showing wild animals in his museum decades before his circus enterprises. This booklet pertains to the second iteration of Barnum's American Museum, as the first museum burned in July of 1865. An illustration of the second museum, located at 537, 539, and 541 Broadway, is featured inside the cover.
The illustrations include: "The Colossal Golden Chariot"; a portrait of I. A. VanAmburgh; elephants; a lion; a Brazilian tiger; a South American tiger; a royal Bengal tiger; a leopard, lion and tiger tamer; a Tibet bear; a giraffe; a black bear; an Asiatic nyl-ghau; Japan maskin swine; a Polish swan; a zebra; an African porcupine; spotted axis deer; an ichneumon; a badger; a zebu, a prairie wolf; an anteater; an American fallow deer; a Peruvian lama; black-headed Persian sheep; a white peacock; gold and silver pheasants; Spanish macaws; alpacas; pelicans; lori grandi; the minor menagerie; Australian cockatiels; a powee; and cockatoos. (In some cases the spelling of the animal names in the booklet are different).
Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that still bears his name, but his circus ventures came about when he was in his 60s. The first show was called P.T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus. Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum’s show the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum and Bailey circus. The name remained until 1919 when it became the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus.
T 2016.031.001