"Freakshow" posters, are there any?

[Popculturefan]

Hello all,

I'm kinda interested in these freakshows, you know, tallest man, sword eaters, etc.
Are there any posters of these? I know there are some expensive photo's from the old days, but i've never found any posters.
Or just didn't look good enough.

If you got some in your collection, please show.

[Bruce]

99% of what there was was homemade for the specific show, so what is left is super rare and expensive.

I have never seen a printed poster for one of these.

[Threenero]

Some of my closest friends are freaks 

the early ones where handpainted on canvas or bedsheets using any old paint they could find and hung on the middway (public entrance to show) on large wooden frames or from ropes strung between trucks and tents. by the end of a long traveling season they would have been folded hundreds of times and most of the paint would have flaked of. so they would either be repainted or painted over with a new act. later on the painting was done directly onto the sides of truck bodies or large wooden/metal panels that would hinge onto the trucks and known as flash panels...again they would be painted over when the acts changed. Freaks where part of sideshows and usually only the top billing artistes where put on the posters for the main show. The days of handpainted panels ended about 20 years ago and most of the artists that painted them have long gone along with most of their work.

However there are some modern shows today that mainly feature freaks and they feature them on their posters. try http://www.circusofhorrors.co.uk/home.html and check the shop for posters. tell Doc haze Luke sent you 

[Threenero]

OK.. i asked a friend in the states if he had any pics of the old side shows and if he had any info of the whereabouts of any old banners. There a few still knocking around but mostly rotting in old barns...He's looking into rescuing some... Mean while he sent me nearly 100 pics.

Here's a selection for your viewing pleasure 

Some of these go as far back as the '30s



























That should do for now.

[stewart boyle]

Those are great!

"Sealo-Man or Seal?"

Brilliant..Love the Barnum and Baileys pic too  
There`s a van like that in The M.O.Transport here in GLW,It`s beautiful.

Stew

[Threenero]

Here's an "in progress pic" of a circus artist at work



The guy in the pic was a good friend of mine and a brilliant artist and artiste.

Here he is playing a freak on stage (front and centre) surrounded by his own art work.



His name was Barrie and he was one of the last great sign and banner painters. He passed away back in 2005

[brude]

Those pictures are really a treasure.
Someone should consider making S2-like recreations of those designs.
I'd bet that they'd sell like hotcakes.

Nevermind.
Seems like several places have been at it for a while:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sideshow+posters&FORM=HDRSC2#

[CSM]

Thanks for sharing those pics!

[Threenero]

Those pictures are really a treasure.
Someone should consider making S2-like recreations of those designs.
I'd bet that they'd sell like hotcakes.

Nevermind.
Seems like several places have been at it for a while:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sideshow+posters&FORM=HDRSC2#

Wow that's a great link Thanks  

some of those might be the real thing. How would anyone tell the difference if they where hand painted.
I mean if i painted one up and told you it came from such and such show you would believe me.
After all i worked nearly 20 years in that business and us carny folk would never make stuff like that up, now would we?  
Plus i can get as many "references" to authenticate them as i needed.

Now where's my paint brushes  

[Threenero]

Here's the rest of the album, for anyone that's interested

http://s140.photobucket.com/user/3nero/media/sideshow/11375_10151415826711904_95207747_n.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

[Popculturefan]

Great replies guys! And thanks for the PM's, i might be able to get some things in my collection in time.

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Hey--just saw this thread the other night. Not that it helps but in January or February I was in Venice Beach (oh man, that place has gone down hill soooo bad. Nothing but medical marijuana stores, "doctors" offices to prescribe Medical marijuana, bong shops and tattoo parlors! UGH!) and I was surprised and disappointed (it was obviously long out of business) to discover a modern freak show in one of the buildings along the beach walk. I took a quick, crappy photo of it and just found it. The signed for the freak show are STILL up on display (at least they were when I was there). I don't know where you are, but perhaps you can contact the owner of the building and try to get them for yourself? Just a thought.

Pic is attached.

CHEERS!

[brude]

The Human Blockhead?
Must be where T's been this month...
 

[CSM]

Lady Twisto sounds intriguing

[brude]

Lady Twisto sounds intriguing

Right about now, Steve must be preparing a cameltoe comment...

[50s]

Wow, what an amazing cameltoe

[CSM]

Wow, what an amazing cameltoe

[erik1925]

Hey--just saw this thread the other night. Not that it helps but in January or February I was in Venice Beach (oh man, that place has gone down hill soooo bad. Nothing but medical marijuana stores, "doctors" offices to prescribe Medical marijuana, bong shops and tattoo parlors! UGH!) and I was surprised and disappointed (it was obviously long out of business) to discover a modern freak show in one of the buildings along the beach walk. I took a quick, crappy photo of it and just found it. The signed for the freak show are STILL up on display (at least they were when I was there). I don't know where you are, but perhaps you can contact the owner of the building and try to get them for yourself? Just a thought.

Pic is attached.

CHEERS!

I went by the Venice Freakshow building no more than 2 hrs ago, when i was on a run. It was not open and operating today.

The guy that is the carnival barker sounds like those guys from days of old, with the lingo, the accent and his pair of 2 headed turtles for all to see, out front, in a plastic tub, as a teaser to get people to come in and see the rest. The admission is $5.00 per person.  

And there is a lot more than bong shops and tattoo parlors there, MAGG. Gotta give credit to the multitude of cheap clothing and T shirt shops, fast food joints as well as the homeless and runaway waifs that dot the boardwalk.

   (thanks to Steve for this gif)

[Monster_A_GoGo]

I went by the Venice Freakshow building no more than 2 hrs ago, when i was on a run. It was not open and operating today.

The guy that is the carnival barker sounds like those guys from days of old, with the lingo, the accent and his pair of 2 headed turtles for all to see, out front, in a plastic tub, as a teaser to get people to come in and see the rest. The admission is $5.00 per person.  

And there is a lot more than bong shops and tattoo parlors there, MAGG. Gotta give credit to the multitude of cheap clothing and T shirt shops, fast food joints as well as the homeless and runaway waifs that dot the boardwalk.

   (thanks to Steve for this gif)

It's still open?  When I was there i thought it was long defunct. You run in Venice? I thought you were more towards Santa Monica (and yes, I realize they connect--the Santa Monica side is much nicer). I'm sorry. The Venice beach walk area is soooo skeezy now. I was shocked. It was always sort of questionable, but lately--yuck! I won't be back for a long, long while--if ever.

[erik1925]

It's still open?  When I was there i thought it was long defunct. You run in Venice? I thought you were more towards Santa Monica (and yes, I realize they connect--the Santa Monica side is much nicer). I'm sorry. The Venice beach walk area is soooo skeezy now. I was shocked. It was always sort of questionable, but lately--yuck! I won't be back for a long, long while--if ever.

Yes it is still open.. and that troupe has their own TV show, on Netflix, now, I believe. The have a large sandwich board out front (when they are they and offering shows) promoting the show, too.

I run between the Venice and Santa Monica Piers and back. A big loop. And the sites along the boardwalk are interesting, for sure, and never boring..LOL

[110x75]

This was on ebay a while back. I really like it, but not $1000 like it

[erik1925]

Cool image, Matias. 

I like how they have all the imagery from Browning's Freaks on that poster, but this card looks to be for a local, live stage performance, right?

[110x75]

Yep.

[erik1925]

It's still open?  When I was there i thought it was long defunct. You run in Venice? I thought you were more towards Santa Monica (and yes, I realize they connect--the Santa Monica side is much nicer). I'm sorry. The Venice beach walk area is soooo skeezy now. I was shocked. It was always sort of questionable, but lately--yuck! I won't be back for a long, long while--if ever.

It will be open, again, this weekend, for Halloween from noon til sunset!

https://www.facebook.com/venicebeachfreakshow

http://venicebeachfreakshow.com/

Freaky!

lol

[monocle]

Thanks for putting up these images chaps! Great stuff!!