BARNUM, P.T. | American Museum. Corner of Broadway and Ann-street, Under the Management of Mr. P.T. Barnum[.] Grand Gala Week! [New York: 21 March 1842]

Property from the Eric C. Caren Collection

BARNUM, P.T.

American Museum. Corner of Broadway and Ann-street, Under the Management of Mr. P.T. Barnum[.] Grand Gala Week! [New York: 21 March 1842]

Printed broadsheet handbill (12 x 8 7/8 in.; 308 x 227 mm). Printed recto and verso; lightly foxed and stained, worn, with a few tears, fold separations, and repairs. The consignor has independently obtained a letter of authenticity from PSA that will accompany the lot.

Very rare promotional broadside for the first-ever Wild West Show

While Wild West shows are often associated with Buffalo Bill Cody, the present broadsheet was issued five years before his birth. P.T. Barnum—one of the most successful showmen in history—staged his foray into this market at his American Museum, located on the corner of Broadway and Ann Street. At its peak, the museum welcomed as many as 15,000 visitors a day. Around 38 million customers paid the 25 cents admission between 1841 and 1865, and, as a point of reference, the overall population of the United States in 1860 was under 32 million.