The Ricky Jay Collection

The Ricky Jay Collection

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 427. Long, Hillary | The champion head balancer and equilibrist of the world.

Long, Hillary | The champion head balancer and equilibrist of the world

Auction Closed

October 28, 08:54 PM GMT

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

Long, Hillary

Ringling Bros Shows. Hillary Long Who Puts His Skates Upon His Head and Wears His Hat Upon His Feet while Accomplishing Apparently Impossible Stunts. Cincinnati & New York: The Strobridge Litho. Co., 1917 (no. 18-R-220)


Color lithograph poster (27 7/8 x 37 3/8 in.; 709 x 950 mm). Light vertical crease. Laid down on linen.


The United States Postal Service issued a stamp of this famous poster as one of eight 49-cent Forever stamps commemorating vintage circus posters in 2014. Long is shown performing two of his signature stunts: descending a staircase on his head, and, in a stop-motion-like view, roller skating down a ramp on his head and jumping a gap in the ramp. This ramp was one of several pieces of equipment that Long invented and sought to copyright.


REFERENCE:

Circus, pp. 522–23; JJA, p. 10

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