Done
Chicago, IL, United States
Auction Details
Circus, Sideshow & Oddities
Potter & Potter Auctions
Our annual auction of Circus, Sideshow, and Oddities features the second offering of rare photographs from the remarkable collection of Gary Bart, one of the most significant collections of its kind in private hands. Complementing Mr. Bart's images will be a host of sideshow banners, posters, historical documents, books, ephemera, and relics - including carousel horses and rare shooting gallery targets - representing the whole calendar of amazing, spectacular, and unusual entertainments in the category.
TOP

![[EARLY PHOTOGRAPHY]. Sixth plate ambrotype of a clown. Circ...](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664435_1_x.jpg?height=300&quality=70&version=1648565335)

![[GIANTS]. Five cabinet card portraits of sideshow giants. A...: [GIANTS]. Five cabinet card portraits of sideshow giants. American, ca. 1890s/1900s. Photographs of Col. Ruth Goshen, Captain Martin Van Buren Bates and Anna Haining Swan Bates, The Giant Hugo, Louis](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664380_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[GIANTS]. Five CDV photographs of 19th century giants. V.p....: [GIANTS]. Five CDV photographs of 19th century giants. V.p., 19th century. Carte-de-visite photographs on cardstock mounts. Including portraits of Miss Anna Swan, Capt. Smith Cook, Landon Middlecoff,](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664382_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[CHINA]. CDVs of Che-Mah and a Chinese giant. Circa 1870s/8...: [CHINA]. CDVs of Che-Mah and a Chinese giant. Circa 1870s/80s. Photographs on studio mounts. Including a SIGNED CDV of Che-Mah, “the Chinese Dwarf” (New York: Charles Eisenmann), signed](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664384_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[LITTLE PEOPLE]. Five remarkable cabinet card portraits of ...: [LITTLE PEOPLE]. Five remarkable cabinet card portraits of little people. V.p. (American), ca. 1890s/1900s. Studio photographs on cardstock mounts, depicting little people in various occupational and](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664386_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[LITTLE PEOPLE]. Nine cabinet photos by Charles Eisenmann a...: [LITTLE PEOPLE]. Nine cabinet photos by Charles Eisenmann and Frank Wendt. New York and Boonton, N.J., ca. 1890s/1900s. Studio portraits on cardstock mounts, including two by Eisenmann and seven by](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664387_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)



![[HIGH DIVE]. Real photo postcard of a traveling circus high...: [HIGH DIVE]. Real photo postcard of a traveling circus high dive act, La Grande, Oregon. Circa early 20th century. Silver print postcard, titled in the negative. Ink notation to verso by a](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664394_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[POSTCARDS]. Six postcards of circus and sideshow fat peopl...: [POSTCARDS]. Six postcards of circus and sideshow fat people. American, European, and Mexico, ca. 1900s/10s. Lot includes two real-photo postcards; and four halftone or photo-lithographic printed](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664396_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[POSTCARDS]. Eight real-photo postcards of circus performer...: [POSTCARDS]. Eight real-photo postcards of circus performers. European (one American), early 20th century. Silver print postcards depicting male and female acrobats and equilibrists, plus Bazola](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664397_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[POSTCARDS]. Group of 20 postcards of circus jugglers, equi...: [POSTCARDS]. Group of 20 postcards of circus jugglers, equilibrists, and acrobats. V.p., early 20th century. Fine collection of postcards featuring juggling and acrobatic troupes and acts, including](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664399_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[GIANTS]. Collection of 20 CDVs and cabinet cards of giant ...: [GIANTS]. Collection of 20 CDVs and cabinet cards of giant ladies and fat people. American, ca. 1880s/1910s. Including four cabinet photos and 16 carte-de-visite photographs, many of the subjects](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664401_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[HIGH WIRE ACTS]. Group of 6 cabinet card portraits. Six ph...: [HIGH WIRE ACTS]. Group of 6 cabinet card portraits. Six photographs on cardstock mounts, including The Melroses, America’s High Wire Bicyclists (Columbus: Baker Art Gallery); Treacy Melrose,](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664402_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[TIGHT ROPE/HIGH WIRE ACTS]. Group of 14 postcards. V.p. (A...: [TIGHT ROPE/HIGH WIRE ACTS]. Group of 14 postcards. V.p. (American/European), early 20th century. Group of postcards depicting high wire acts and tight rope performers, including 8 real photo and 6](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664404_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)
![[TIGHT ROPE]. SPELTERINI, Maria (1853-1912). Signorina Mari...: [TIGHT ROPE]. SPELTERINI, Maria (1853-1912). Signorina Maria Spelterini Crossing Whirlpool Rapids-Niagara on a Tight Rope. New York: Geo. Barker, n.d., ca. 1876. Stereoview photograph depicting](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664406_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)




![[SIDESHOW]. Three CDVs of “bearded ladies.” 19th century. C...: [SIDESHOW]. Three CDVs of “bearded ladies.” 19th century. Carte-de-visite photographs on cardstock mounts, two of the same subject with Russian imprint, the third unidentified. Size of](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/928/242430/125664414_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1648565335)



