Posted 11 years ago
j30racer
(1 item)
Poster of a Circus circa 1984 - copyright Strobridge Lithograph Co - 1894
Charles Harkinson - called "Americus" "representing an outlay of $45,000 and 400 people"
Library Catalog # 18856 - April 11, 189? - hidden by frame
Excellent condition = Color great and only shows signs of folding - as original "D" size document
Does anyone know what this is???
Please respond
thanks
Connie
Why do you call it a circus poster?
Seems to represent the American Revolution, a recreation of a key battle perhaps.
Americus - the masculine version of America - was named for the western continents, which in turn were named for Amerigo Vespucci.
http://newspaperarchive.com/davenport-daily-leader/1894-08-08
It appears to have been a play or theater show . Tickets were on sale in Moline Ill 1894 .
@ Mani, they only let you use that site once then you have to start paying & I used up my one free search before.
It had to have been an outside production if it had 400 people in it.
Bro it told me I used up my one but still let me see newspaper Ad and where you could buy tickets . It seems from AD it was in a ballpark ? And the tickets were on sale at several book stores .
It was held at Tri City ball Park in Davenport and Moline Il . 8-8-1894
I was told at an Antique Road Show that it was a Circus Poster.
Thanks everyone, the ticket thing is very interesting..
The ticket clearly says "Americus" produced by Charles Harkinson so it has to be a event . Since it was in a ball park it was big but we don't lnow what the event was but it was not a circus .
PS I have seen Antique roadshow make so many mistakes I could not begin to name them all. They have proven to not being good at what they do and prices they give are generaly way off .
Well said Sis, sometimes the crowd knows more than one individual on AR.
I think it must have been a financial flop, as there is no other info on it.
The only reference to Americus that I could find was a letter to the editor of the Massachusetts Gazette and Boston News-Letter, number 3150, 5 July 1764
AMERICUS ( in the New-York Papers ) writes
to all whom it may concern in the several Pro-
vinces in North-America, that as we are hindred from
making Remittances home to our Mother-Country,
for Goods imported from thence, and as we cannot
do without Woolen Cloths, Blankets, Stockings, &c.
he would earnestly recommend that a large Bounty
be granted upon Sheep's Wool, a Fund to be raised
therefore yearly by Lottery, to be continued for seven
Years, and That all Sheep be freed from Taxes, du-
ring that Time ; by which Means there would be a
great Plenty of that valuable Article among us ; and
no doubt we shall soon have a sufficiency of Labourers
from Home, Masters of every Branch of the Manu-
facture, glad to get their Bread abroad, since every
Branch of that Manufacture must greatly diminish
there, while we are disabled to make Remittances as
formerly, for the immense Quantities of Woolen
Goods, which have been heretoforere, and might be
still imported among us.
This letter shows the frustration felt in the area prior to the War of Independence.
The date on the poster roughly coincides with the Centennial of the end of the War of Independence.