Nothing is quite as nostalgic as the circus or carnival midway. In 1907 The Ringling Bros. purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Initially the two shows toured separately, but in 1919 the attractions were merged to create the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, proclaimed “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
Like every great showmen then and now, they did not simply rely on ticket sales as the sole source of revenue. The food and souvenir concessions were huge money makers, representing high profit items to captive and motivated buyers. As a result, a tremendous amount of circus memorabilia was produced, and it has become a major category Americana particularly attractive to collectors.
A related field of collecting is items from the carnival midway. Traveling carnivals flourished in the 1930s through the early 60s, and their lighted midways featured exotic dreamlike wonderlands in sleepy little towns throughout the country. The primary venue for these shows was State and County Fairs, as well as other regional festivals and celebrations.
These midways featured a cavalcade of attractions, rides, games, and shows. Many of the carnival games were crooked or “gaffed”, leaving no chance that the mark (i.e., player) could win anything. Others were known to the carneys as “hanky-pank” games, those touting “A Prize Every Time!” While it was true the player would receive a prize for every 50¢ he would pay to play, the prize was nearly worthless…so cheaply made that carnival supply houses referred to these items as “slum” in their own catalogs. Ironically, today these inexpensive prizes have become highly sought after collectors’ items, a strange twist of fate for the carny who thought of them as of no value.
At some point, the mark would come to the realization that it was cheaper to buy a prize than win one and the souvenir stand was there to sell what could not be won. In addition to prizes, these concessionaires offered pin-back buttons, pennants, toys, and other trinkets and treasures for the weary customer. Like the games themselves, these stands had plenty of flash to take the buyer’s cash!
The amusement business was big business, and carnival wholesalers flourished across the country In New York there was B. Shackman Company., in Chicago N. Shure Company, in Minneapolis the Gellman Bros. and so on coast-to-coast.
Harry Watanabee founded the Oriental Trading Company in Omaha in 1932, with a great portion of his inventory imported from Japan. Watanabee and his wares were a favorite among carnival operators for flashy game premiums and prizes in duck and fish pond concessions and other midway concessions. Claw machines (known to carnies as “diggers”) were typically filled with such treasures . . . pistol lighters, pot metal ponies, big dice, miniature knives, desk calendars, toy binoculars, and other such temptations that always seemed just out of reach to the player. Watanabee produced his first catalogs in the 1950s, with many pages featuring “Digger Specials,” items especially well suited for claw machines.
The N. Shure Co. was remarkable in the sheer volume of merchandise it handled. In its heyday in the 1930s the “Shure Winner” catalogs had upwards of 900 to 1100 pages of wonderfully detailed black and white engravings of their wares.
Over the years, the amusement business has gone corporate, and much of the early charm has been lost in the transition. In addition, local law enforcement and concerned citizens eroded away the more unseemly aspects of the midways . . . the crooked games, politically incorrect ten-in-one side shows, girlie reviews, and other temptations that thought to have corrupted the farm boys.
We carry a wonderful assortment of vintage circus, carnival, and exposition memorabilia that may rekindle those temptations of a by gone era…a second chance to part with some money without incurring the wrath of your parents. Take a look at our store website, www.shinegallery.com.
Like every great showmen then and now, they did not simply rely on ticket sales as the sole source of revenue. The food and souvenir concessions were huge money makers, representing high profit items to captive and motivated buyers. As a result, a tremendous amount of circus memorabilia was produced, and it has become a major category Americana particularly attractive to collectors.
A related field of collecting is items from the carnival midway. Traveling carnivals flourished in the 1930s through the early 60s, and their lighted midways featured exotic dreamlike wonderlands in sleepy little towns throughout the country. The primary venue for these shows was State and County Fairs, as well as other regional festivals and celebrations.
These midways featured a cavalcade of attractions, rides, games, and shows. Many of the carnival games were crooked or “gaffed”, leaving no chance that the mark (i.e., player) could win anything. Others were known to the carneys as “hanky-pank” games, those touting “A Prize Every Time!” While it was true the player would receive a prize for every 50¢ he would pay to play, the prize was nearly worthless…so cheaply made that carnival supply houses referred to these items as “slum” in their own catalogs. Ironically, today these inexpensive prizes have become highly sought after collectors’ items, a strange twist of fate for the carny who thought of them as of no value.
At some point, the mark would come to the realization that it was cheaper to buy a prize than win one and the souvenir stand was there to sell what could not be won. In addition to prizes, these concessionaires offered pin-back buttons, pennants, toys, and other trinkets and treasures for the weary customer. Like the games themselves, these stands had plenty of flash to take the buyer’s cash!
The amusement business was big business, and carnival wholesalers flourished across the country In New York there was B. Shackman Company., in Chicago N. Shure Company, in Minneapolis the Gellman Bros. and so on coast-to-coast.
Harry Watanabee founded the Oriental Trading Company in Omaha in 1932, with a great portion of his inventory imported from Japan. Watanabee and his wares were a favorite among carnival operators for flashy game premiums and prizes in duck and fish pond concessions and other midway concessions. Claw machines (known to carnies as “diggers”) were typically filled with such treasures . . . pistol lighters, pot metal ponies, big dice, miniature knives, desk calendars, toy binoculars, and other such temptations that always seemed just out of reach to the player. Watanabee produced his first catalogs in the 1950s, with many pages featuring “Digger Specials,” items especially well suited for claw machines.
The N. Shure Co. was remarkable in the sheer volume of merchandise it handled. In its heyday in the 1930s the “Shure Winner” catalogs had upwards of 900 to 1100 pages of wonderfully detailed black and white engravings of their wares.
Over the years, the amusement business has gone corporate, and much of the early charm has been lost in the transition. In addition, local law enforcement and concerned citizens eroded away the more unseemly aspects of the midways . . . the crooked games, politically incorrect ten-in-one side shows, girlie reviews, and other temptations that thought to have corrupted the farm boys.
We carry a wonderful assortment of vintage circus, carnival, and exposition memorabilia that may rekindle those temptations of a by gone era…a second chance to part with some money without incurring the wrath of your parents. Take a look at our store website, www.shinegallery.com.
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