From Chris Berry

John_Robinson_OWNERS_PORTRAITS_(c_1910), originally uploaded by bucklesw1. John Robinson- Owners Portraits! (c 1910) As we mark "John Robinson Day" I would like to take the conversation in a different direction and reflect on circus printing executed in the Cincinnati area around the turn of the last century. Both this particular John Robinson one-sheet - printed by Russell-Morgan - and Ol' Whitey's program (posted below) share many of the same themes in graphics and copy. After consulting with Ol' Whitey, we both agree that despite the 1896 copyright date on the program and the similarities in graphics and copy these pieces were probably used by John Robinson into early 1900s. A couple of notes about the Russell, Morgan Company - which produced lithos in the late 1800s and early 1900s that rival the best work of the other big Cincinnati show print houses - Strobridge and Enquirer . In 1867 A. O. Russell, Robert J. Morgan, James M. Armstrong and John F. Robinson Jr. formed a partnership and purchased from the proprietors of The Cincinnati Enquirer what was then known as the Enquirer Job Printing Rooms. The new name of the firm was Russell, Morgan & Co. In 1880 Russell-Morgan began printing playing cards - and by the early 1880s was making about 1600 packs a day. Russell, Morgan and Co. became The United States Printing Company in 1891 and only three years later the playing card business was split from the Printing Company, becoming The United States Playing Card Company - with circus and theatrical posters of the era still carrying the Russell-Morgan imprint, often with "US Litho Company" above the trademark. Incidentally, the US Playing Card Co (now a part of Jarden Corporation) still prints one of it's original brands (Congress) along with its famous "Bicycle" and "Bee" brands.