Sunday, September 05, 2010

Elephant Posters #1 (From Jim Cole)


ht2000787_hires, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Buckles, Most of these came off the Ringling Museum website, and are from the Howard Tibbals circus poster collection.

Jimmy Cole

10 comments:

Ole Whitey said...

Does anyone know how late the show continued to put the "Carl" in the HW title?

Anonymous said...

The vast majority of the lithos at the Ringling Museum belonged to Harold Dunn. He had the largest private collection of circus material at the time of his passing. He was planning to donate his collection to the Ringling Museum in the early 70's before part of the museum's collection was pilfered away.

Chic Silber said...

There was no love lost between

Harold & Howard who had tried for

many years to aquire Dunn's stuff

It was only after Harold died that

his estranged son Kenneth sold

the majority of it to Howard

Much of the material that Howard

donated for the collection with

his name so prominently displayed

was from Harold (a MASTER carver)

What was that quote Jimmy

Anonymous said...

Harold told me that the state of Floria had valved his collection at over 2 million dollars when he was talking to them in 1974. I can only guess that someone from the state had to inventory the collection before hand? As a previous reader noted, the Ringling Museusm came under some very turbulent times, and Harold withdrew his offer. As Chic will tell you, Harold had a fortress for a warehouse. This was before the Guernsey's and Phillip's auctions blew all the prices of this material out to the stratosphere. You have to remember that you could still buy 1 sheet mid 30's lithos out of the Bandwagon for about 10.00 each back then.
Harold was a great help to me when I was a kid and just starting out in all this.
p.j.

Harry Kingston said...

I know of 3 collectors that got circus items from Harold Dunn in the 70's and I was one of them.
He wanted to sell it in $500 and $1000 lots. And you told him what you were interested in and he would pick out the items for you.
You know in the 70's $500 was like a fortune.
P. J. knew him very well and might add some very interesting info to this if he wishes to.
I was very pleased with what Harold sent me.
Harry Kingston

Chic Silber said...

That "Fortress" is my warehouse

now P J and as soon as I can get

rid of at least half of the stuff

(including the Cornbinder cab over

straight job & 6 Supers) I intend

to move my downtown office there

(from the Fourth Street building

I have been renting since 72)

Buckles said...

Chic, I've got a better idea.
With all that stuff, you and Dickie could frame a show.

Chic Silber said...

Why didn't I think of that Buckles

My "ex brother in law" & I haven't

spoken since the mid 70s although

he did send Niles over some years

ago to try to buy some equipment

When that attempt failed he then

tried to use a mutual friend as

a purchasing agent (still no)

Perhaps you might be interested

in a 3 way partnership "pal"

Anonymous said...

Charlie Deck was the real master carver for many of the great model circuses. Roy Arnold, Bob Clark, Harold Dunn, and Howard Tibbels owe much of their displays to this little guy from Allentown, Pa. He probably did most of the horses and show animals for these guys and a host of others.

One winter Charlie brought boxes of items to my Dad who shipped them off to master carver Harold Dunn. Charlie was definately a guy who was behind the scenes of many a great model circus display. His horses are considered to be the best.

bob good

Jimmy Cole said...

Buckles, ...And stole Harlod Dunn's hambuger!