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An original 5x3.5" vintage photo (NOT a modern reprint) from a collection of well documented Ringling Bros circus photos. This photo originated from the personal collection of Joseph Bradbury, noted circus historian and collector.
Provenance: Joseph Bradbury was a renowned circus historian and a president of the Circus Historical Society who specialized in the documentation of circus equipment and wagons. He is widely recognized for his extensive research and photography, which preserved the history of early 20th-century shows. We acquired this from his estate at sale.
Photo Overview
A candid glimpse into the working world of the traveling circus, this 1939 photograph captures a large wooden circus wagon - numbered \'6\' on its end panel - parked alongside the characteristic striped canvas tents of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus lot. The wagon, mounted on heavy spoked wheels, is a classic example of the horse-drawn or early motorized transport wagons that moved the massive RBBB show from city to city.
The image was taken on June 23, 1939, in Syracuse, NY, during one of the show\'s tour stops. A figure can be seen standing near the rear of the wagon, providing scale. This photo comes from the personal collection of Joseph Bradbury, noted circus historian, president of the Circus Historical Society, and a leading authority on circus equipment and wagons.
Historical Notes
By 1939, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was navigating difficult financial times. The catastrophic Hartford circus fire was still five years away (1944), but the show had already weathered the 1938 performers\' strike - one of the most significant labor disputes in circus history - which had forced the show to close mid-season. The 1939 tour, of which this Syracuse stop was a part, represented the show\'s determined comeback season.
The large transport wagons like the one pictured were the backbone of the traveling circus infrastructure. By the late 1930s, RBBB was transitioning more of its transport from horse-drawn to motorized, though many traditional wagons remained in service. The 1939 season was also notable as one of the last full pre-war seasons; by the early 1940s, wartime rubber and fuel rationing would fundamentally change how the circus operated. RBBB continued touring until the Hartford fire of 1944 forced a temporary closure, after which the show modernized significantly.
Print analysis
This appears to be a Type 1 original silver gelatin photographic print, made at or very close to the time the photograph was taken in 1939. The print shows period-appropriate tonal characteristics and surface quality consistent with a contemporary print. The white border mounting card style is consistent with 1930s amateur or semi-professional photography.
Condition
Please see photos for condition. In fair to good vintage condition.
