Physical object: Cufflink belonging to Charles S. Stratton
Image
Physical object: Cufflink belonging to Charles S. Stratton
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Handle
http://hdl.handle.net/11134/60002:1219
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Persons |
Persons
Creator (cre): Unknown creator, American
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Title |
Title
Title
Physical object: Cufflink belonging to Charles S. Stratton
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Origin Information |
Origin Information
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Parent Item | |||
Resource Type |
Resource Type
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Digital Origin |
Digital Origin
reformatted digital
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Description |
Description
Single gold cufflink belonging to Charles S. Stratton, better known by his stage name, "General Tom Thumb." The question of when Stratton wore it remains unknown. Based on the fact it has survived, it may be related to a special occasion such as his marriage in 1863, but the delicacy of the cufflink suggests that it was worn when he was much younger, well before his wedding. This cufflink was likely worn in what is known as the barrel style, made famous by entertainer and P.T. Barnum competitor Dan Rice. The barrel style involved overlapping the two ends of the cuff (the same as is done with a button closure) and inserting the cufflink through the aligned buttonholes. With this method, the decorative plate is visible on the outside of the cuff, and the opposite end--in this case, a metal loop--is hidden on the inside. The barrel method is different from the better known French cuff style in which the two ends of the cuff are pinched together instead of overlapped, and the cufflink is inserted through all layers so that both ends are showing. The faceplate of the cufflink is an oval shape with scalloped edges. The oval surface is finely engraved with concentric ovals, the outer one featuring an edging of tiny points or a "sawtooth" edge. The gold has a high percentage of copper in it, which gives the gold a rose color than yellow gold. The maker and date of this cufflink are unknown. Charles S. Stratton (January 4, 1838 - July 15, 1883) was an entertainer who got his start with P. T. Barnum in the early 1840s. Stratton's parents signed him with Barnum when the boy was barely five years old. The family went to live in New York City where Stratton performed at Barnum's American Museum, located on Broadway at Ann Street. The little boy took quickly to performing, and on tours he entertained audiences worldwide, including royalty. Stratton's performances brought him renown, becoming one of the biggest celebrities at the time, and considerable wealth. In 1863, Stratton married fellow performer and little person M. Lavinia Warren; the two had a happy marriage, and continued touring and performing. On July 15, 1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
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Genre
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Held By |
Held By
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Use and Reproduction |
Use and Reproduction
This item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. Images and data from The Barnum Museum are intended for public access and educational use only. This material is owned, held, or licensed by The Barnum Museum and is being provided solely for the purpose of teaching or individual research. All other use, including commercial reuse, mounting on other systems, or other forms of redistribution requires permission of the appropriate department of The Barnum Museum; fees may be applicable.
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Local Identifier |
Local Identifier
1976.001.109
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Title |
Title
Title
Physical item: Lavinia Warren's Wedding Ring
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Origin Information |
Origin Information
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Parent Item | |||
Resource Type |
Resource Type
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Digital Origin |
Digital Origin
reformatted digital
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Description |
Description
Wedding ring of M. Lavinia Warren, the wife of Charles S. Stratton, better known by his stage name "General Tom Thumb." Two years after Stratton’s death in 1883, she married Primo Magri, an Italian native who, like Warren and Stratton, was a little person. It is unknown if this ring dates to Warren's first marriage to Charles Stratton in 1863 or her second marriage to Primo Magri in 1885. The plain band has a slightly rounded profile and is made of the slightly copper color gold that was fashionable in the 19th century. Mercy Lavinia Warren (nee Bump) Stratton (October 31, 1841 - November 25, 1919), then Mercy Lavinia Magri, was a well known entertainer during the latter half of the 1800s. She first became a schoolteacher, but at the encouragement of a relative, she began her career as a performer on a river boat (Spaulding & Rogers boat shows); exhibiting little people (people with dwarfism) was profitable at the time. Warren signed with showman P. T. Barnum when she was 21. In December of 1862, Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb) began courting Lavinia and their whirlwind romance led to their famed marriage, "The Fairy Wedding," just two months later on February 10, 1863, with Lavinia's younger sister, Minnie Warren as bridesmaid and "Commodore Nutt" as best man. The Strattons worked and toured together as celebrities, and had a happy marriage. Following Stratton’s death in 1883, Warren married Primo Magri, an Italian entertainer of a similar stature, on April 6, 1885. Magri and Warren toured, and also operated a roadside stand in Middleboro, Massachusetts, her home town. Warren died at age 78 on November 25, 1919. She is buried beside Stratton at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Unknown creator.
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Genre
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Held By |
Held By
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Use and Reproduction |
Use and Reproduction
This item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. Images and data from The Barnum Museum are intended for public access and educational use only. This material is owned, held, or licensed by The Barnum Museum and is being provided solely for the purpose of teaching or individual research. All other use, including commercial reuse, mounting on other systems, or other forms of redistribution requires permission of the appropriate department of The Barnum Museum; fees may be applicable.
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Note |
Note
condition: Good
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Local Identifier |
Local Identifier
1981.004.008
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