Step Right Up: Circus and Sideshow Memorabilia

Updated August 6, 2026

Featuring the collection of lifelong circus collector John Diesso, this auction includes heralds, couriers, and posters advertising the "greatest shows" of yesteryear. Photographs, route books, scrapbooks, and circus costumes will be also be offered, spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A wide array of early European circus posters will be sold, along with a large library of circus books of several thousand volumes. Full catalog and bidding: view on bidsquare .

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In this auction (668 lots)

Categories: Antiques & Furniture · Fine Art & Prints · Memorabilia & Autographs · Comics & Books

• Lot 1 — BRANDOLY, J. S. Shaffer and Co / The Sensation of Davos. Berlin: Beitgat, ca. early 20th century.
• Lot 2 — CHÉRET, Jules (1836-1932). Persivani & Vandevelde / Café-Concert des Ambassadeurs. Paris: J. Cheret, ca. 1870s.
• Lot 3 — BARNUM, P.T. (1810 - 1891). Document signed.
• Lot 4 — LEVY, Charles. Folies-Bergère / Tous Les Soirs / Les Lions de Bostock. Paris: Ch. Levy, ca. 1880s.
• Lot 5 — MILLIE-CHRISTINE (Millie and Christine McKoy, 1851-1912). Cabinet Card Portrait. Circa 1880s.
• Lot 6 — [WILD WEST]. HILL, Richmond C. A Great White Indian Chief. 1912.
• Lot 7 — CODY, William F. ("Buffalo Bill," 1846–1917). Archive Including Cody Family Memorial Scrapbook, Signed Photograph, Signed Book, Original Photographs,
• Lot 8 — Sells Bros. circus cage wagon side, attributed to Samuel Anderson Robb.
• Lot 9 — Death Defying lion tamer circus sideshow banner.
• Lot 10 — Collection of 20 albums of vernacular circus photographs.
• Lot 11 — ​​​​​​​BOGARDUS, Adam Henry (1834 - 1913). Capt. A. H. Bogardus trunk.
• Lot 12 — Archive of 24 Scrapbooks of Circus and Magic Ephemera. Circa early to mid-20th century.
• Lot 13 — The Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth / P.T. Barnum - J.A. Bailey.
• Lot 14 — Barnum & Bailey / The Biggest and Grandest Street Procession Ever Seen.
• Lot 15 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey / Congress of World-Famous Horse Acts.
• Lot 16 — Die Barnum & Bailey / Groesste Schaustellung der Welt / Hastiges und aufregendes Wettrennen männlicher Jockeys. Cincinnati: Strobridge Litho., 1900.
• Lot 17 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / Unique and Astounding Performing Animals. Cincinnati & New York: Strobridge & Co., 1900.
• Lot 18 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / Rare Beasts and Birds. Cincinnati & New York: Strobridge & Co., 1901.
• Lot 19 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / A Few of the Principal High Jumping and High School Horses. Cincinnati & New York: Strobridge & Co., 1900.
• Lot 20 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / Gargantua the Great.
• Lot 21 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / Col. Tim McCoy.
• Lot 22 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / The Gibsons [Knife Throwing]. Erie Litho Co., ca. 1938.
• Lot 23 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey / Loyal Repenski Family.
• Lot 24 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / India. Erie Litho Co., ca. 1937.
• Lot 25 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey / Three Great Companies of World-Famous Acrobats.
• Lot 26 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / Dorothy Herbert.
• Lot 27 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / The Marvelous Marcellus Troupe. Erie Litho Co., ca. 1934.
• Lot 28 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey / [Tiger]. Erie: Erie Litho, ca. 1940s.
• Lot 29 — KAUFFER, Edward McKnight (1890 – 1954). The Greatest Show on Earth / Presents Its 50 Most Famous Elephants / Ringling Brothers And Barnum & Bailey.
• Lot 30 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / The Greatest Show on Earth. Circa 1937.
• Lot 31 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / Panto's Paradise. 1944.
• Lot 32 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / Jennie Rooney.
• Lot 33 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
• Lot 34 — Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus / Giants Trains of Thundering Steel.
• Lot 35 — Hagenbeck-Wallace and Forepaugh-Sells Bros Combined Circus. Chicago: Central Printing, 1935.
• Lot 36 — Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus / Jungle Bred / Trained Wild Animal Circus. Erie: Erie Litho Co., 1933.
• Lot 37 — Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus.
• Lot 38 — Christy Bros. Wild Animal Circus.
• Lot 39 — Al. G. Barnes and Sells-Floto Circus.
• Lot 40 — Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus.
• Lot 41 — Three Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus Posters. Circa 1930s/40s.
• Lot 42 — Downie Bros. Circus / Theresa Morales.
• Lot 43 — The Great Sells-Floto Circus / and Mammoth Menagerie. Chicago: Illinois Litho Co., 1931.
• Lot 44 — Cole Bros. Circus / Golden Street Parade. Erie: Erie Litho Co., 1935.
• Lot 45 — Cole Bros. Circus / The Children's Favorite Circus.
• Lot 46 — Wallace Bros. 3 Ring Circus.
• Lot 47 — John Robinson's Circus / Cleopatra Queen of Egypt.
• Lot 48 — Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus / The Celebrated Cristiani Troupe.
• Lot 49 — ​​​​​​​FREELAND, Forrest Dean. Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey / The Great Alzanas.
• Lot 50 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / World's Biggest Menagerie.
• Lot 51 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / Incredible Unus.
• Lot 52 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Three posters.
• Lot 53 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Four posters.
• Lot 54 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / [Leopard].
• Lot 55 — Sells Floto Circus / World's Greatest Animal Acts.
• Lot 56 — WOOD, Lawson (1878 - 1957). Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus / [Monkeys and Elephant].
• Lot 57 — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Two circus posters.
• Lot 58 — WOOD, Lawson (1878 - 1957). Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus standee. 1944.
• Lot 59 — [PARKER, C.W. (Charles Wallace Parker)]. C.W. Parker / Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.A.
• Lot 60 — Parker's Sublime Creation or the Beginning.
• Lot 73 — A Night at the Circus / Scenes from the Last Act.
• Lot 74 — Ambassadeurs / Le Jongleur Paul. Paris: Ch. Levy, ca. 1890s.
• Lot 75 — CHÉRET, Jules (1836-1932). Fantaisies. Paris: J. Cheret, 1876.
• Lot 76 — CHÉRET, Jules (1836-1932). Folies-Bergère / Jefferson / L'Homme Poisson. Paris: J. Cheret, ca. 1876.
• Lot 77 — CHÉRET, Jules (1836-1932). Les Martinettes au Café-Concert des Ambassadeurs. Paris: J. Cheret, ca. 1881.
• Lot 78 — CHÉRET, Jules (1836-1932). Les Frères Avone. Paris: J. Cheret, ca. 1870s.
• Lot 79 — CHERET, Jules (1836-1932). Cafe Concert des Ambassadeurs / Stewart & H. Dare. 1877.
• Lot 80 — BLOCH, Marcel (1882-1966). Nouveau Cirque / Les Ski Norvégiens. Paris: Robert & Cie, ca. 1907.
• Lot 81 — Concert de L'Horloge / Pietro & Theisey Knösing. Paris: E. Levy, ca. 1880s.
• Lot 82 — Brother's Gayton / Musical Clowns and Skaters. Berlin: Alex. Hönig, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 83 — Holden's / La Belle et La Bête. Birmingham: J. Upton Ltd., ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 84 — The Original Emile Girards. London: Montague Chatterton & Co., ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 85 — The Lucien Girard's. London: Walter Mallyon Printer, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 86 — Hippodrome de Paris. Paris: F. Appel, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 87 — Arthur Klein Family. Hamburg: Adolph Friedlander (no. 7359), [1922].
• Lot 88 — Odam et Miss Sarah. Paris: Vve Périé, ca. mid-19th century.
• Lot 89 — Lars Larsen / Family / Scandinavian Troupe. Berlin: Alex. Hönig, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 90 — Willy Manns Wonder Elephants.
• Lot 91 — [SHARPSHOOTER]. Alice Taylor/ The Female William Tell.
• Lot 92 — [SIDESHOW / ODDITIES]. Anatomical Oddities / Medical Autopsy Stock Poster. Hamburg: Adolph Friedländer, [1913].
• Lot 93 — LEVY, Charles. Folies-Bergère / Tous les soirs / Les Griffith. Paris: Ch. Levy, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 94 — F. Hajex. Berlin: Paul Geissler Kunsterwerkstatt, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 95 — Professor Hotine's Excelsior Troupe. Birmingham: Fred Wakefield, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 96 — Schilly / Original Serpent-Man & Hand-Equilibrist. Hamburg: Adolph Friedländer, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 97 — The Craggs / John Bulls Adventure as a Gymnast. Alex. Hönig, ca. late 19th century.
• Lot 98 — Bros Gillenos / Musical Clowns. Hamburg: Adolph Friedländer, ca. 1880s.
• Lot 99 — Carl Hagenbeck's Tierpark.
• Lot 100 — CHOUBRAC, Alfred (French, 1853–1902). Theatre De La Gaité / Rosa-Josépha. Paris: F. Appel, ca. 1900.
• Lot 101 — Alcazar d'Ete / Paulus Original-Comic.
• Lot 102 — [EQUILIBRISTS]. Two vintage posters.
• Lot 103 — FARIA, Candido de (1849 - 1911). Cirque Medrano / Boum Boum.
• Lot 104 — BARBIZET. Folies Bergere, 1873-74.
• Lot 105 — VERHOEFT, K. Celebre Troupe Lilliputienne Russe N. Ratoucheff.
• Lot 106 — [CIRCUS]. Group of 4 European poster maquettes.
• Lot 107 — The Famous "Edwards" Equestrian Troupe.
• Lot 108 — Cirque D'Hiver hand-painted circus banner.
• Lot 109 — [STOCK POSTER]. Adolph Friedlander Circus Dogs Stock Poster. Hamburg, ca. early 20th century.
• Lot 110 — WAGNER, Louis. Circus Busch / Leinert's Raketen-Mensch.
• Lot 111 — Flora / Reserveleutenant Linsemann - Peter Prang's Original Kolner Burlesken.
• Lot 112 — Circus Cesar Sidoli / Royal Romanian Circus.
• Lot 113 — Fledermaus / Nata-Kaljan Ballett.
• Lot 114 — Vaterland Tanzraum / Mitja Rachmaninoff.
• Lot 115 — Harry Bienenstein.
• Lot 116 — Circus Busch / Eisbaren-Rutsch.
• Lot 117 — Hagenbeck Schau / [Performing Animals].
• Lot 118 — KORINGA (Renee Bernard, 1913 - 1976). Koringa.
• Lot 119 — [REPTILE ACT]. Karah Khavak. Berlin: Primus Studios, ca. 1920s-30s.
• Lot 120 — E. Merian's New Dog Comedy Sketch / "Soldier's Quartered."
• Lot 121 — Pair of Adolph Friedlander magic posters. Hamburg: Adolph Friedlander (nos. 6965, 6966), 1920.
• Lot 122 — Roca / [Magician].
• Lot 123 — Roca / Musical.
• Lot 124 — Sim Sala Bim / Carneval of Magic.
• Lot 125 — Mlle. Emmelie Loyal and her Troupe of Canine Comedians / "A Trip to Switzerland."
• Lot 126 — Circus Busch / Wohin gehen wit denn heute?
• Lot 127 — Les 4 Frères Riego. Hamburg: Adolph Friedlander, [1907].
• Lot 128 — Grande Menagerie du Dompteur Ed. Pezon / La Danse Serpentine. Paris: Ch. Levy, ca. 1890s.
• Lot 129 — Group of 14 German Circus Posters. 1950s-60s.
• Lot 130 — BEUCK. Schumann / 2 Aeros. 1943.
• Lot 131 — Russian wall of death motorcycle circus poster.
• Lot 132 — Pinder / le cirque serieux que l'on connait / presente 30 attractions nouvelles de super cirque. Paris: Bedos & Cie, ca. mid-20th century.
• Lot 133 — MAGNE, A. Cirque Robba / Rosar.
• Lot 134 — CERVINO. Miaz Whirlwind Dogs.
• Lot 135 — Group of 13 Circus Posters. Circa mid-20th century.
• Lot 136 — SOURY, Gustave (1884 - 1966). Cirque Pinder / Ses Fauves. Two posters.
• Lot 137 — Barum Circus Poster Featuring Margarete Kreiser-Barum and Her Elephants. Hamburg: Adolph Friedlander, [1930].
• Lot 138 — Krone Zoo. Hamburg: Adolph Friedlander, [1932].
• Lot 139 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Posters with Bears and Horses. Circa 1970s.
• Lot 140 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Clown Cyrk Posters. Circa 1970s.
• Lot 141 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Posters. Circa 1970s.
• Lot 142 — Choroszucka, J. Five Polish Cyrk Posters. 1974.
• Lot 143 — Zirkus Budapest. Circa 1970.
• Lot 144 — URBANIEK, Maciej. Cyrk. Circa 1970s.
• Lot 145 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Cyrk: Group of 5 Lion Posters. Circa 1970s.
• Lot 146 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Cyrk: Group of 5 Clown-Themed Posters. 1970s.
• Lot 147 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Cyrk: Group of 5 Posters with Equestirans and Horses. 1970s.
• Lot 148 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Cyrk: Group of 5 Polish Posters. 1970s.
• Lot 149 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Posters with Performers and Animals on Bi- or Unicycles. Circa 1960s-70s.
• Lot 150 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Posters Featuring Animals and Balls. Circa 1960s-70s.
• Lot 151 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Posters. Circa 1960s-70s.
• Lot 152 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Performer Posters. Circa 1960s-70s
• Lot 153 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Animal Posters. Circa 1970s.
• Lot 154 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Posters with Female Performers. Circa 1960s-70s.
• Lot 155 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 6 Cyrk Posters. Circa 1960s-70s.
• Lot 156 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Cyrk: Group of 5 Trapeze Artist Posters. Circa 1970s.
• Lot 157 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Posters with Tigers. Circa 1960s-80s.
• Lot 158 — [VARIOUS DESIGNERS]. Group of 5 Cyrk Posters Featuring Lions. Circa 1960s-70s.
• Lot 159 — ASLAN (Alain Gourdon, 1930-2014). Folies Bergere / Folies de Paris.
• Lot 160 — The Elephant Man and Chained for Life. Three movie posters and one lobby card.
• Lot 161 — The Greatest Show on Earth. Three posters.
• Lot 162 — The Greatest Show on Earth. Two lobby card sets.
• … and 518 more lots

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