Photograph of a miniature carriage at a three quarter angle, against a white backdrop. Based on similar existing carriages, including one owned by the Barnum Museum, this is likely one of Charles S. Stratton's show carriages that he rode in to promote his performances as General Tom Thumb. The date of this photograph is impossible to determine. It is clearly after the carriage was in use, based on the backdrop which suggests a museum or room in a private collection. Charles S. Stratton (January 4, 1838- July 15, 1883), known as General Tom Thumb, was an entertainer and Bridgeport Conn. native who got his start with P.T. Barnum in 1842. Stratton's parents signed him with Barnum at age 4, as exhibiting those with dwarfism was lucrative at the time. Stratton took quickly to performing, and he entertained audiences worldwide, including nobility such as Queen Victoria. Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren and the two had a happy marriage. Stratton's performances brought him renown as a celebrity, perhaps one of the biggest at the time, and he and Warren were able to live comfortably when not working. On July 15, 1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with his wife beside him.
