Magazines dedicated to the circus are inexpensive collectibles. This stack of 42 issues of “White Tops” from the 1970s sold on eBay for $35.

Magazines often publish circus stories, along with colorful photos and graphics. In a previous article I wrote for WorthPoint (Magazine Articles Chronicle Circus Life of Yesterday and Today), I wrote of the popularity of the circus as a subject for magazine articles. Most of the information for that story came from a Circus Magazine Article Index, which I have compiled over the past 25-plus years. It lists more than 2,200 articles from some 550 different magazines, dating from the mid 1800s to the present day.

When I first started to enter this data into a computer, I decided to not list trade and hobby magazines devoted partially or exclusively to the circus. It wasn’t necessary to list them because every issue had circus information. With this article, I want to highlight some of those magazines and newspapers and take a look to their value.

The hobby category includes the publications of Circus Collector & Fan Organizations. The three most popular fan magazines are “White Tops,” “Bandwagon” and “Little Circus Wagon.” All three have been around for a long time and are still being published. “White Tops” is the official publication of the Circus Fans of America. “Bandwagon” specializes in historical articles and is the publication of the Circus Historical Society. It should not be confused with a song and dance magazine also called “Bandwagon,” which began publication in 1939. That magazine featured popular music of the day, not circus. Members of the Circus Model Builders receive a subscription to “Little Circus Wagon” as part of their membership fee. The magazine has stories about miniature circuses, as well as plans for building wagons and other circus equipment.

In the 1920s and ’30s, “The Circus Scrap Book” was a filled with circus news of the day and historical stories. Copies of this publication are very difficult to find. In a previous article about my circus friend, Charlotte Shive Maxwell (Fascinating Story behind Antique Sunburst Circus Wagon Wheel), a large section of a story from “The Circus Scrap Book” was re-printed.

In the 1970s, a quarterly magazine, “Southern Sawdust,” was published by Wilson Poarch. It was not affiliated with any circus fan organization, but the magazine proved to be very popular with circus fans. The publication emphasized black and white photos.

Single copies of these fan magazines sell on Internet auctions for $5 to $20, depending on the content. If you watch for groups of the magazines, you can win a bid for as little as 50 cents to a dollar an issue, plus shipping.

This random selection of four issues of “Bandwagon” sold for $5 on eBay.

I won this copy of “The Circus Scrap Book” in an eBay auction for $10.

A lot 16 “Southern Sawdust” magazines brought an auction price of $20.

Trade publications for those in the entertainment industry, including circus, are very desirable. The most popular of those is the “New York Clipper,” which was known by most simply as “The Clipper.” The weekly entertainment newspaper began publication in 1853 and contained news of circuses, dance, music, theatre and sports. It continued publication until 1924, when it was merged into the entertainment weekly “Variety,” which is still being published. Single copies of “The Clipper” sell for $10 to $25, with some issues occasionally bringing $50 or more.

This single copy of “New York Clipper” sold on eBay for $40 in 2007. Single copies of “Variety” sell for $5 or less. Because there are fewer circuses on the road today, there is little circus news in “Variety.”

During most of the 1970s, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey purchased a small, one-column ad on page 2 in every issue of the weekly “Variety.” The ads featured quotes by members of the media and VIPs. This ad ran in the Jan. 28, 1976 issue with a quote by me when I was promotion manager for WFLA-TV & Radio.

Through the 1970s and ’80s, Ringling purchased the cover of “Variety” every year to promote their new production. The colorful poster art of the new edition of The Greatest Show On Earth ran on the cover. Most of these special issues also included a color ad on the back cover promoting one of the other shows produced by the Felds, the producers of Ringling. The artwork shown here is a printer’s proof for an advertisement promoting the 1985 shows. Ringling is on the cover. The back cover promotes “Beyond Belief with Siegfried & Roy,” produced by Irvin Feld and Kenneth Feld. The ad on the right is for the two new “Disney on Ice” productions. That ad was a full page which folded under the cover. You will note that the “Variety” logo is missing on this proof. In the final product it would appear in the blank area on top of the Ringling poster art.

Another of the classic weekly trade publications was “The Billboard,” which began publishing in 1894. During the early 1900s, it was the paper of record for circuses, carnivals, amusement parks, fairs, vaudeville, etc. In later years it added sections for the juke box industry, popular music and television. In 1961, the popular music news continued to be published in Billboard. Outdoor industry news, which included circuses, was transferred to a new publication called “Amusement Business,” which ceased publication in 2006. Issues of “The Billboard” from the 1940s and 50s that include circus news can be read on books.google.com. Single issues of “The Billboard,” published prior to 1961, sell for $25 to $50. Issues from the 1940s and 1950s are a cross-collectible because of the popular music section, and these sometimes sell for inflated prices. Special issues also bring higher prices.

This 1932 issue of “The Billboard” sold at auction for $28.

This Summer Special issue of “The Billboard” highlights the 1939 World’s Fair. It sold on eBay for $106.

“Circus Report,” once a weekly publication, is still available, but is now mailed every other week. The magazine is published by Graphics 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Two copies of "Circus Report" are shown here, one from the 1990s and a smaller version on top from the 1980s. These magazines will sometimes show up on Internet auctions for as little as $2 for an entire year’s worth which would be 52 issues. Shipping would be the larger cost.

All these publications are filled with history, facts and information that make for enjoyable reading. Often, they will help document and verify circus collectibles.

Larry Kellogg is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in circus memorabilia.

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WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

View from the balcony at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.

“Where do you look for circus collectibles?” I get asked that question over and over, and it’s a question you could ask any collector, no matter what their interest. Coins, stamps, furniture, glassware, books—it doesn’t matter what the item, the search is part of the fun.

I find circus items on the Internet, in antique stores and malls, book stores and sometimes from private collectors. One of my favorite places to search is right here in my hometown of St. Petersburg, Fla. at the annual Florida Antiquarian Book Fair. Over the past 20-plus years of attending this event, I have found numerous items for my collection.

The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair is held the second full weekend of March in St. Petersburg’s historic Coliseum. It is the oldest and largest book fair in the southeast and many dealers rate it as the best regional book fair in the country. It features between 115 and 120 dealers from as many as 25 different states. Dealers come from as far away as California to exhibit and sell rare and out-of-print books, documents, autographs, maps, prints and ephemera.

This year was the 29th anniversary for the three-day event. For 16 of those year, I was privileged to manage the fair and have made many friends among the dealers. Every year some of those dealers surprise me with circus items to peruse and buy, if I want them. Although I retired a few years ago from managing the fair, I would never miss going to the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair—it’s at the top of my list of favorite things to do.

This year, my annual search uncovered many items, some extremely rare. I didn’t purchase all of them because many were already in my collection and some were out of my price range. Shown here are just some of the circus treasures I discovered at the 2010 Florida Antiquarian Book Fair and a few items I purchased at past events here. For more information about the book fair, check out its Web site: Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.

Circus Lingo,” by Joe McKennon.

“Circus Lingo,” by Joe McKennon, was brought to the book fair by Vivian Moore Bookseller of Alpharetta, Ga. As I was standing by her booth on Saturday, I saw a man purchase this book. It was priced at $18.

Little Circus Wagon” is the official publication of the Circus Model Builders.

A 1954 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey date sheet.

Bookworm & Silverfish from Wytheville, Va., had many circus items. Among them were a 1954 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey date sheet (priced at $40) and a stack of 25 issues of “Little Circus Wagon” from the 1970s (priced at $125). “Little Circus Wagon” is the official publication of the Circus Model Builders. For more information about that and other circus organizations see my article Circus Collector Fan Organizations.

A Van Amburg & Company Songster .

A Van Amburg & Company Show biography.

The two rarest circus items I found at the fair were brought by Read ’em Again Books of Montclair, Va. Both were from Van Amburg & Company, a show that was on the road from 1845 to 1881. The 36-page Songster was priced at $400. The 79-page biography of the Van Amburgh show was priced at $700. The full title of that booklet was “Biographical Sketch of I.A. Van Amburgh and an Illustrative and Descriptive History of the Animals Contained in his Mammoth Menagerie and Great Moral Exhibition.” The date of the publication was 1868.

A 1924 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey program.

Read ’em Again Books also brought several early Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey programs including this 1924 edition priced at $120. For more information about circus programs see my article Circus Programs: Souvenir Magazines a Colorful and Plentiful Collectible.

Al G. Kelly & Miller Bros. 2nd Largest Circus poster from the 1950s

Dales Wild Animal 3 Ring Circus poster.

Mori Books from Milford, N.H., displayed two stock circus posters priced at $40 each. One was an Al G. Kelly & Miller Bros. 2nd Largest Circus poster from the 1950s. The other was for Dales Wild Animal 3 Ring Circus. In trying to find out more about Dales Circus, I searched through Robert L. Parkinson’s book “Directory of American Circuses 1793-2000.” The only show listed that almost matches the poster was Dales Bros. Circus, which exhibited from 1948 to 1950.

Sells & Gray herald front.

Sells & Gray back.

This two-sided circus herald for Sells & Gray was also brought by Mori Books. The price was $30. For more information on circus heralds see my article Heralds Promote Circuses Coming to Town, Tear Down ‘Inferior’ Competition.

A General Tom Thumb & Company carte de visite.

Colebrook Book Barn from Colebrook, Co brought a binder filled with unusual photos including this carte de visite (CDV) of General Tom Thumb & Company published by E. & H.T. Anthony & Company. The text on the bottom of the card says “General Tom Thumb and Wife, Commodore Nutt and Miss Minnie Warren, in the identical costumes worn before her Majesty, Queen Victoria, at Windsor Castle, June 24, 1865.” The back has four printed signatures. Price of the CDV was $100.

The back page from a King Bros. courier.

This single back page from a King Bros. courier was brought to the Book Fair by Joe Maynard from Brooklyn, NY. It was priced at $25. For more information about circus couriers see my article ‘The Circus Is Coming!’ Circus Couriers Whet Communities’ Appetites.

A 1937 Cole Bros. route book.

This 1937 Cole Bros. route book was at the booth of Bartleby’s Books from Washington, DC and was priced at $275. Route books are among the most popular items for circus collectors. For more information on route books see my article article Circus Route Books – A Record of the Past.

A photo of the famous clown Lou Jacobs.

A Book Legacy from Palm Harbor, Fla. had this framed photo of famous clown Lou Jacobs on sale for $65.

The booth set up by Double A Books of Bradenton, Fla., featured several circus books.

The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair is mainly old, rare and out of print books. This booth occupied by Double A Books of Bradenton, Fla., featured a small section of circus books. The books and their prices (from left) were “Billers, Banners and Bombast,” by Charles Philip Fox and Tom Parkinson ($75), “The Circus Moves,” by Rail by Tom Parkinson and Charles Philip Fox ($55), “Circus Baggage Stock,” by Charles Philip Fox ($45), “Those Amazing Ringlings and Their Circus,” by Gene Plowden ($15), “The One Horse Show: The Life and Times of Dan Rice, Circus Jester and Philanthropist,” by John C. Kunzog (signed by author $35), “Indiana’s Big Top,” by Don L. Chaffee ($12.50), “Circus Parade,” by Phyllis R. Fenner ($30), “Circus Dreams,” by Lynn Goldsmith ($6) and “This Way to the Big Show,” by Dexter W. Fellows and Andrew A. Freeman (signed by Fellows $45). For more information about circus books see my article Circus Books: Building a Solid Foundation for Collecting.

Copies of circus fiction books “Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus,” and “Mr. Stubbs’s Brother,” by James Otis and illustrated by Richard H. Rodgers.

Most circus collectors are only interested in non-fiction, but the fiction book about Toby Tyler, the young boy who ran away from home to join the circus, is an exception because it’s a children’s classic. Brooks with Books from Greenville, SC had a copy of “Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus,” by James Otis and illustrated by Richard H. Rodgers. The price was $6. The same booth also had a copy of a book that is not as easy to find, “Mr. Stubbs’s Brother,” also by James Otis. This is the sequel to “Toby Tyler.” The price was $7.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey programs from 1934 and 1935.

More than 20 years ago these two Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey programs (1934 & 1935) were sold to me by a dealer at the Book Fair for $15 each. Today each is valued in the $40-50 range. A copy of the 1935 program, the one on the right, sold on eBay last year for over $100, but that isn’t typical.

The title page from Volume One of “Circus and the Allied Arts—A World Bibliography,” by Raymond Toole-Stott.

“Circus and the Allied Arts—A World Bibliography,” by Raymond Toole-Stott, is a multi-volume set that is very collectible and also difficult to find. Most sets contain only the first four volumes. Volume five is almost impossible to find. It was published after the author’s death using photo copies of his original typewritten text. The original script was uncorrected, so there are numerous errors. Several years ago I was able to find a set of the first four volumes at the Book Fair for $300. This is the title page from Volume One.

A 1920s Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

About five years ago I found this 1920s Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey poster at the Book Fair for $300.

Larry Kellogg is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in circus memorabilia.

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Howard C. Tibbals and the Howard Bros. Circus model—the largest miniature circus in the world—that has been more than 50 years in the making.

Owning your own circus is just a dream for most folks, but for a few it is a reality. I’m not talking about a real circus, but one in miniature. Circus model builders love the circus and have their own organization, Circus Model Builders. The organization dates back to the 1930s. Little Circus Wagon, the official publication of the Circus Model Builders, is published six times a year and is filled with detailed information to assist members. Click here for a link to the Circus Model Builders Web site.

Some model builders build their models of wagons and equipment from scratch, but for those who lack that skill, there are model kits. A Google search for “Circus Model Kits” will provide links to hundreds of sites for new and used kits. Older model kits manufactured by companies that are now out of business, like Wardie Jay, are readily available on eBay and other auction sites. Prices start as low as $5 or $10. You can bid on ready-to-assemble kits or models that have already been built. Some scratch-built wagon models can cost up to several hundred dollars.

Many museums house complete circus models, but the best of these is Howard Bros. Circus. It is located at the Ringling Circus Museum’s Tibbal’s Learning Center at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Fla. The entire Howard Bros. Circus—complete with eight main tents, 152 wagons, 1,500 circus performers and workers, more than 700 animals and a 55-car train—has a permanent home at the Ringling Circus Museum.

The Howard Bros. Circus midway.

A view inside the menagerie tent.

Elephants on the march to the big top.

A close look at the circus dining tent.

Tibbals looking into the horse and baggage tent.

The Howard Bros. Circus is a ¾-inch-to-the-foot scale replica of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus when the tented circus was at its peak (circa 1925-1938). It occupies 3,800 square feet in the 30,600 sq. ft. Tibbal’s Learning Center. This model is the largest miniature circus in the world and has been more than 50 years in the making by master circus model builder Howard C. Tibbals. The miniature, Howard Bros. Circus, is incredibly detailed and must be seen to be believed.

Tibbals saw his first circus as a 3-year-old. At the age of 5, he watched through a telescope, enthralled, as a circus set up on a nearby vacant lot. That impression stayed with him for life and jump-started his love of all things circus.

A trained engineer and a skilled craftsman, Tibbals began building miniature circus wagons and tents as a teenager. He wrote a letter to Ringling management asking permission to use the Ringling name on his miniature railroad cars and circus wagons, but was refused.

“Since circuses tended to bear the family name of the owner, I just started calling it the Howard Bros. Circus for fun,” Tibbals explains. “The name stuck, and now we have the Howard Bros. Circus that looks a lot like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus during its tented age.”

Over the years, Tibbals amassed thousands of historical circus photographs for his personal circus archives and used them for accuracy in building his models. He also visited circus back-lots and winter quarters to take measurements of individual circus wagons and other equipment.

The detail for each piece of circus equipment is as authentic as possible, down to the tiny tent stakes, rolls of thin cable, and diminutive dishes and tableware—enough to serve 900 performers and workers. And, just like the real three-ring circus of the 1920s-1930s, the Howard Bros. Circus equipment can be loaded into the ¾” scale wagons, and along with its menagerie, fits onto the 55-car train!

Portions of the Howard Bros. Circus have toured throughout the United States to the delight of countless admirers. It was displayed at many venues including the 1982 World’s Fair and the Knoxville Museum of Art in Knoxville, Tenn.; The National Geographic’s Explorers Hall in Washington, DC; The Rochester Museum and Science Center in Rochester, N.Y.; The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Mich; The Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wis.; The Cincinnati Museum Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The show found a permanent home at the Ringling Circus Museum in January 2006. It is the first time that the entire model has ever been assembled and able to be viewed by the public.

Here’s a link for more information about: Howard Bros. Circus and the Ringling Circus Museum.

Larry Kellogg is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in circus memorabilia.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

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