“Five Graces” Bandwagon, Barnum & Bailey Circus
The Russell News Agency, Inc. distributed this color postcard that features what was known as the Five Graces Bandwagon used by the Barnum & Bailey Circus in parades between 1898 and 1902. The number 51475 appears at the bottom center on the reverse. There is a blurb at the top left corner: “Ringling Museum of the Circus, Sarasota, Florida. Glorious reminder of the “Golden Age” of American circus is the “Five Graces” Bandwagon. The oldest, built in 1878, and most widely traveled circus parade vehicle in existence. The bandwagon, drawn by 40 black horses, led the Barnum and Bailey European parades from 1898-1902. This wagon is thought to have been built for Adam Forepaugh’s circus and later acquired by P.T. Barnum.
In the early days of the circus, around the 1870s, wagons were used to haul all the animals and equipment from town to town. The wagons were costly to build and weighed approximately 8 tons, requiring 40 horses to pull each wagon. The wagons were also used in the parades through the towns before the big tent was set up and the shows began. P.T. Barnum coined the phrase “The Greatest Show on Earth,” and advertised his circus as a Great Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Hippodrome. The wagons carried people, animals, and equipment, such as tents, props, costumes, luggage, musical instruments, food supplies, etc. One wagon even had a separate glass cage for the snakes.
Forepaugh’s Circus and P.T. Barnum’s Circus were the two largest circuses in the United States during the 1870 and 1880s. In addition, there were several smaller circuses in the 1800s that eventually went bust or were merged into one of the larger ones. Forepaugh died in 1890 and his circus joined with Sells Brothers in 1900. In 1907 the seven Ringling Brothers purchased Barnum and Bailey. Transition to the much faster and more efficient rail travel began in the 1890s; although, the wagons were still used in parades.
The Five Graces Wagon is the oldest surviving example of the circus wagons of that era. In the 1940s it was fitted out with modern gears and modern tires and appeared in a war bond parade in New York City. From 1946 to 1948 it was in storage. Eventually, in 1959, it was moved to the Museum of the American Circus located on the grounds of the John Ringling estate in Sarasota, Florida, where the original style of wheels replaced the upgraded ones, red paint and gold leaf finished the restoration as shown on the card.
For additional information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringling_Bros._and_Barnum_%26_Bailey_Circus
http://circusnospin.blogspot.com/2011/09/five-graces-bandwagon-has-new-home.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/Adam_Forepaugh
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