Broadside: "'$1,500,000! in Challenges' - P.T. Barnum to the Public"

Illustrated broadside announcing P. T. Barnum's challenges to his competitors, totaling $1,500,000, as well as promoting his traveling show of wild animals, performers, musicians, talking machines and automatons, and much more. The broadside is dated April 7, 1873, an early time period in Barnum's circus enterprises. The main title of the broadside is "$1,500,000! in Challenges - P.T. Barnum to the Public." The challenges were initiated, according to the text, because a number of Barnum's competitors were copying him, and/or claiming to offer shows equal to his. The challenges, numbering 47, offer varying reward amounts, most $10,000. In addition to promoting what the public would see, the challenge descriptions reveal some "behind-the-scenes" information about Barnum's operations, for example, that his performers received "more salaries than two of the best circuses in America," and that neither he nor his competitors could offer an aquarium, so that all such claims by others were false as a traveling aquarium would be virtually impossible to maintain. He refers to his aquarium (at the former American Museum) being the first and that it was difficult to maintain even in a stationary setting. Among the notable attractions named are little person Admiral Dot (Leopold Kahn), and Professor Faber's talking machine. At the end of the three-column text block, Barnum's signature appears above the place and date: "435[?] Fifth Avenue, New York, April 7, 1873." A large black and white illustration at the top provides a fanciful and grandiose view of Barnum in the clouds, his hand extended as if presenting his show as a gift. Titles included in the illustration are "The World in Contribution," and "Curiosities Arriving." To the left, a corner of Barnum's former American Museum is shown. To the right is a distant view showing the circus traveling by train, and beyond it, a landscape with Native American teepees, and an ocean crowded with sailing ships. Beneath Barnum there is an unusual "scene" shows a disproportionate line up of many types of wild animals, African natives in tribal garb, human curiosities, and performers. Several individual illustrations extend down the left side and along the bottom of the broadside. These include an automaton; a bearded lady; a goat riding a horse; a miniature coach and horses; performers on stage; and an assortment of wild animals. Along the top edge of the broadside are listed the places and dates where the show would next be presented, all towns in Connecticut: Norwalk on Monday, April 21; Bridgeport on Tuesday, April 22; Waterbury on Wednesday, April 23; and New Haven on Thursday April 24 and Friday April 25. The same broadside would have been used for other venues during the 1873 circus season, with the appropriate dates and locations printed at the top. Printed by the Torrey Brothers, Printers, 13 Spruce Street, New York. Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that bore 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.