Description:

19th C. Circus
New York, NY; London, England, ca. 1844-1885
Little People in the 19th C. as Entertainers & Celebrities
Archive
CIRCUS, Archive of 2 pamphlets, 13 cartes-de-visite, and 14 newspaper clippings, 1844-1885.

This collection of cartes-de-visite, pamphlets, and clippings illustrates the careers of some of America's most prominent little people. Showman P. T. Barnum (1810-1891) employed many of them and gave them stage names. Under his management, they became among the most famous entertainers of their day.

Pamphlets and Clippings
- "Princess' Theatre," illustrated clipping from The Illustrated London News, February 24, 1844.

- "General Tom Thumb," illustration and article from The Pictorial Times, April 13, 1844.

- "‘General Tom Thumb's' Equipage," illustrated article from The Illustrated London News, August 31, 1844.

- "‘General Tom Thumb,' A Remarkable Dwarf," illustration and article from The Pictorial Times, February 10, 1844.

- "General Tom Thumb," illustration and article from The Pictorial Times, December 21, 1845.

- Sketch of the Life, Personal Appearance, Character, and Manners of Charles S. Stratton, the Man in Miniature, Known as General Tom Thumb, Nineteen Years Old, Thirty-one Inches High, and Weighing only Twenty-five Pounds; with Some Account of Remarkable Dwarfs, Giants, & Other Human Phenomena, of Ancient and Modern Times. Also, General Tom Thumb's Songs. London: Thomas Brettell, 1857. 32 pp., 4.5" x 7". General soiling and toning; some tape repairs to paper cover.

- Sketch of the Life, Personal Appearance, Character, and Manners of Charles S. Stratton, the Man in Miniature, Known as General Tom Thumb, Twenty-two Years Old, Thirty-two Inches High, and Weighing only Thirty-three Pounds; with Some Account of Remarkable Dwarfs, Giants, & Other Human Phenomena, of Ancient and Modern Times. Also, General Tom Thumb's Songs. New York: Wynkoop, Hallenbeck & Thomas, 1860. 28 pp., 4.25" x 7.25". Foxing; corner folds; small tears to cover.

- "Departure of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thumb and Miss Minnie Warren," illustrated article from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, November 19, 1864.

- Five small clippings related to Tom Thumb, his wife, the death of their alleged daughter, and Commodore Nutt and Minnie Warren, perhaps from British handbills or newspapers. N.p., n.d., ca. 1860s-1870s.

- "New York City. Wedding of Mrs. Tom Thumb and Count Magri, at the Church of the Holy Trinity, April 6th," illustration from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, April 18, 1885.

- "Tom Thumb," article from The Daily Telegraph, July 15, 1932.

Cartes-de-visite
- "Tom Thumb Wedding Group," carte-de-visite offers a photograph of Charles Stratton (General Tom Thumb) and bride Lavinia Warren with best man Commodore Nutt and maid of honor Minnie Warren (Lavinia's sister), both fellow performers and little people. N.p., n.d.

- "Gen. Tom Thumb and Lady," carte-de-visite offers engraving of Charles Stratton (General Tom Thumb) and bride Lavinia Warren in their wedding attire. N.p., n.d.

- "Tom Thumb Wife & Child" carte-de-visite shows Charles and Lavinia Stratton and their purported child. However, the couple never had children.

- Charles Stratton and Lavinia Warren Stratton, carte-de-visite published by Case & Getchell Photographic Artists of Boston, n.d.

- Charles Nestel and Eliza Nestel, carte-de-visite, n.p., n.d. "Commodore Foote's Dream" poem affixed to verso.
Charles Nestel (1848-1937) of Fort Wayne, Indiana, performed with the stage name Commodore Foot, and his sister Eliza Nestel (1857-1937) performed as the Fairy Queen. They met Abraham Lincoln in the White House in February 1864 and performed for Queen Victoria in 1881.

- "Henry M. Johnson [Gen. Dot] / Troy's Tom Thumb / Age, 14 Yrs., Height [34] in., Weight, 36 lbs." Troy, NY: Hardy & Van Arnam, n.d.

- Commodore Nutt and Minnie Warren, carte-de-visite featuring a photograph of the entertainers. N.p., n.d.

- "Com Nutt & Minnie Warren," carte-de-visite of an engraving based on the above photograph. N.p., n.d.

- "Com Nutt and Minnie Warren," carte-de-visite of an engraving of the entertainers. N.p., n.d.

- "Commodore Nutt and Miss Minnie Warren," carte-de-visite featuring a photograph of the two little people. New York: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co., n.d. With facsimile signatures of Nutt and Warren on verso.

- "Mr. Charles Decker, 19 Years Old—Height, 31 Inches—Weight, 45 pounds." Carte-de-visite. N.p., n.d.
Charles Decker (1855-1893) was born in Mississippi and moved to Memphis at age 10, where Ed Worsham employed him to sell Harper's Weekly and other periodicals for eight years. He later moved to Nashville and toured with a variety of traveling shows and circuses, including P. T. Barnum's. He died in Chicago from the effects of chronic alcoholism.

- "Mr. Chas. Decker, 22 Years Old—Height 31 Inches—Weight 45 pounds." Carte-de-visite. N.p., n.d.

- "Major Atom." Carte-de-visite. New York: Chas. Eisenmann, n.d.
Samuel Kahn (b. 1869) was the nephew of "Admiral Dot" / Leopold S. Kahn, a performer for P. T. Barnum. The younger Kahn performed under the stage name of "Major Atom." In 1892, he married Bertha Carnahan of Minnesota.

General Tom Thumb / Charles Sherwood Stratton (1838-1883) was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. With a birth weight of 9 pounds 8 ounces, Stratton grew normally for the first six months of his life then suddenly stopped growing. In the early 1850s, P. T. Barnum learned of Stratton and taught him how to sing, dance, and impersonate famous people. He made his first tour in 1843, and Barnum gave him the stage name of General Tom Thumb, after an English fairy tale. Barnum took him on a three-year tour of Europe, where he appeared before Queen Victoria and crowds wherever he went. After his return from a second tour of Europe, Stratton began to change public perceptions of "freak shows." Over the next several years, these types of performances became one of the most favored forms of theatrical entertainment. By the age of 21, Stratton was 2 feet 10 inches tall. In 1863, he married fellow little person and Barnum performer Lavinia Warren. After the wedding, President Abraham Lincoln received the couple at the White House, and the Strattons toured Europe and British India together. Under Barnum's management, Stratton became a wealthy man, and he later rescued Barnum from financial difficulty and became his business partner. Stratton made his final appearance in England in 1878. In July 1883, Stratton died unexpectedly of a stroke.

Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump Stratton (1841-1919) was born in Middleborough, Massachusetts, with a normal birthweight, and like her younger sister Minnie stopped growing early. She had a successful career as a schoolteacher, beginning at age 16, but then worked as a miniature dancer on a Mississippi showboat. She enjoyed performing and under the management of P.T. Barnum, she adopted the stage name of Lavinia Warren. In 1863, she married fellow little person and Barnum entertainer Charles Stratton, with her sister Minnie Warren as her bridesmaid. Under Barnum's management, they became famous throughout the United States and Europe. In 1872, they toured Europe and British India. Although they had no children, they pretended to for public consumption. After her husband Charles died suddenly of a stroke in 1883, she wanted to retire to private life but was persuaded to continue her career. Two years later, she married Italian little person Count Primo Magri (1849-1920), and they operated a roadside stand in Middleborough and traveled the world performing. She died in November 1919 and is buried beside her first husband.

Commodore Nutt / George Washington Morrison Nutt (1848-1881) was born in New Hampshire to a wealthy farmer and his wife. He may have begun his entertainment career as early as 1854 in a Manchester circus. By 1861, he was touring New England with a circus, when P. T. Barnum hired him to appear at his American Museum in New York City. Barnum gave him a wardrobe that included naval uniforms and gave him the stage name Commodore Nutt. Although he was in love with fellow little person Lavinia Warren, she married General Tom Thumb. Between 1869 and 1872, Nutt toured the world with the Strattons and Minnie Warren, Lavinia's sister. After a disagreement with Barnum, Nutt left and toured with a comic opera company. He then established a variety show on the West Coast and operated saloons in Oregon and California. In 1879, he married Lilian Elston of Redwood City, California. He later returned to New York City, where he died of Bright's disease in May 1881.

Minnie Warren / Huldah Pierce Warren Bump (1849-1878) was born in Middleborough, Massachusetts. Although both she and her sister Lavinia were born at a normal birth weight, they stopped growing early in their lives. She and her sister were little people and entertainers associated with P. T. Barnum. Her sister married General Tom Thumb. Minnie also performed as a singer. In July 1877, she married fellow little person Edmund Newell (1857-1915), who also worked for P. T. Barnum. In July 1878, she died from complications in childbirth. The baby died a few hours later.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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