Research Catalog

Title

Sells-Floto Circus poster [graphic]

Publication

[between 1915 and 1930]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

1 poster : col.; 51 x 32 cm.

Summary

Drawing of the Hannefords, a family of equestrians, performing on horses in the ring of a large circus tent, a large audience seated in tiers in the background, the Prince of Wales and other officiers applauding from the royal box. Poodles Hanneford is drawn twice, a cameo portrait in upper left and riding the rear end of a horse in poster center.

Donor/Sponsor

National Endowment for the Arts Millennium Project.

Series Statement

Treasures of the American Performing Arts, 1875-1923

Subjects

• The Hannefords
• Clowns > Pictorial works
• Circuses & shows > United States
• Circus posters
• Posters & lobby cards
• Horses > Pictorial works
• Trick riding > United States > Posters
• Hanneford, Edwin, > 1891-1967
• Hanneford, Poodles
• Advertising > Circus

Genre/Form

Circus posters.

Note

• Advertising poster for the Sells-Floto Circus's appearance at the Hippodrome in New York City, featuring riding clown Poodles Hanneford.
• "'Poodles' Hanneford, premier riding clown"--Upper left, below cameo drawing of Hanneford.
• "H.R.H. the Prince of Wales applauding the Prince of Clowns"--Lower left, below drawing of the Prince of Wales in a theater box.
• "The Hannefords, the highest salaried circus act in the world"--Bottom of poster.
• Publisher's no.: S.F. 2023.

Additional Formats (note)

• Also available in electronic form, digitized by The New York Public Library.

Biography (note)

• H. H. Tammen and F. G. Bonfils, owners of the Denver Post, operated a small circus called the Floto Dog & Pony Show. In 1906, they joined with Willie Sells to form the Sells-Floto Circus. When the Buffalo Bill Wild West and Pawnee Bill Far East Show went bankrupt in 1913, Tammen and Bonfils hired Buffalo Bill and toured from 1914-1915 as the Sells Floto-Buffalo Bill Circus. With Buffalo Bill's departure in 1916, they retitled the troupe the Sells-Floto Champion Shows, but in 1920 they sold it to the American Circus Corp. which operated it until 1929.
• Edwin "Poodles" Hanneford, a member of The Hannefords, a circus family dynasty that began in 1621, was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England. The Hannefords first toured the United States in 1915, billed as the Hanneford Riding Troupe. Being an expert horseman, Poodles Hanneford became an equestrian clown known as 'The Riding Fool'. He toured with the Barnum & Bailey and the Barnum & Bailey Ringling Bros. circuses from 1915-1930. He also appeared on the New York Stage in Circus Princess, Happy Days (1919), and Jumbo (1935), and in the films The Golden Horde and The Circus Kid.

Call Number

MWEZ+++ n.c. 2379 (Sells-Floto Circus)

OCLC

NYPG98-F985

Title

Sells-Floto Circus poster [graphic]

Imprint

[between 1915 and 1930]

Series

Treasures of the American Performing Arts, 1875-1923

Additional Formats

Also available in electronic form, digitized by The New York Public Library.

Biography

H. H. Tammen and F. G. Bonfils, owners of the Denver Post, operated a small circus called the Floto Dog & Pony Show. In 1906, they joined with Willie Sells to form the Sells-Floto Circus. When the Buffalo Bill Wild West and Pawnee Bill Far East Show went bankrupt in 1913, Tammen and Bonfils hired Buffalo Bill and toured from 1914-1915 as the Sells Floto-Buffalo Bill Circus. With Buffalo Bill's departure in 1916, they retitled the troupe the Sells-Floto Champion Shows, but in 1920 they sold it to the American Circus Corp. which operated it until 1929.

Edwin "Poodles" Hanneford, a member of The Hannefords, a circus family dynasty that began in 1621, was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England. The Hannefords first toured the United States in 1915, billed as the Hanneford Riding Troupe. Being an expert horseman, Poodles Hanneford became an equestrian clown known as 'The Riding Fool'. He toured with the Barnum & Bailey and the Barnum & Bailey Ringling Bros. circuses from 1915-1930. He also appeared on the New York Stage in Circus Princess, Happy Days (1919), and Jumbo (1935), and in the films The Golden Horde and The Circus Kid.

Connect to:

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Indexed Term

Posters & lobby cards

Local Subject

Hanneford, Edwin, 1891-1967.

The Hannefords.

Research Call Number

MWEZ+++ n.c. 2379 (Sells-Floto Circus)