Wednesday, July 06, 2011

From Buckles #5

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Posted by Buckles at 7/06/2011 05:56:00 AM

3 comments:

johnny said...

As a somewhat student of the circus equestrian arts I have never heard about this person. Maybe Dick Flint or some historian can enlighten me. Special paper would certainly mean she was very good. johnny

06 July, 2011 08:40
Dick Flint said...

Hi, John, and glad to respond! She is Ada Wallett (1863-1929)—that's a family name you'll recognize!—who was married to Dave C. Loughlin (1860-1922).
He was an apprentice of Dan Castello and so took the professional name of Dave Castello, Sr. In late 1882 he married 19 year old Ada Wallett, a member of the famous English circus family (and neice of the Shakespearian jester William). Ada was one of several people who had performed the “Zazel” human cannonball act. They had five children (Fred, Dave, Jr., Charles, Edward and Edith) who all entered the circus business. Both generations were usually with established but modest-size rail shows. Oftentimes the children were part of other riding acts or played fair dates. Henderson, NC, was the family’s home. Ada’s brother William II was the father of the Walletts who were active into the mid-20th century (on Hunt and other shows). I’m sending Buckles another image of this poster but with a different performer’s name and with some very interesting commentary about the horse Jupiter. This poster is for 1899.
Dick Flint
Baltimore

06 July, 2011 10:43
Anonymous said...

This is an interesting piece by Courier, invoking Art Nouveau influence in some of the detailing. The drama of the piece is heightened by portraying the white horse against the very dark background, rather than a realistic setting inside the ring. Such abstraction was one tool in the artist's array of talent.

Some stars on paper were true features, in other cases they were mere inventions of an imaginative agent or poster artist. By the time the public actually attended the show it often didn't mean much, especially after performer names were no longer household commodities.

06 July, 2011 11:20

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