Details:

General Tom Thumb and Admiral Dot pair of nineteenth-century albumen cartes de visite (CDVs), each depicting two of P.T. Barnum’s most celebrated performers. The first CDV depicts the Tom Thumb family, featuring General Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton), his wife Lavinia Warren, and their infant daughter. The second CDV portrays Admiral Dot, identified in the printed caption as “With P.T. Barnum’s Traveling World’s Fair,” noting that at sixteen years of age he stood twenty-five inches tall and weighed only nineteen pounds. Both photographs retain their original printed captions and together form an appealing pair documenting Barnum’s famous exhibition of celebrated performers during the Victorian era.

Very good condition.

Charles Sherwood Stratton (1838–1883), known worldwide as “General Tom Thumb,” was one of the greatest attractions ever exhibited by P.T. Barnum. Standing just over three feet tall, Stratton achieved international fame through performances before royalty, including Queen Victoria, and became one of the highest-paid entertainers of the nineteenth century. His lavish 1863 marriage to fellow performer Lavinia Warren became a national sensation, drawing thousands of spectators and widespread newspaper coverage. Their daughter, represented in the family portrait, appeared with her parents as part of Barnum’s exhibitions.

Lavinia Warren (1841–1919) was among Barnum’s most celebrated performers and, alongside General Tom Thumb, became an international celebrity. Her marriage to Stratton was one of the most widely publicized social events of the Civil War era, cementing the couple’s place in American popular culture.

Admiral Dot (George Washington Morrison Nutt, 1848–1881) was another of P.T. Barnum’s internationally famous performers. Nicknamed “Admiral Dot” by Barnum, Nutt toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, frequently appearing alongside General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren. 

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

Premium:
A 25% Buyers Premium Will Be Added to All Winning Bids

Reference sku: 11669 1416850-1