20091128

Giant Captain George Auger and Clip about his Bulldog Ringling



Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt and original newspaper clip Collection Jim Linderman

20091127

Millie and Christine African-American Siamese Twins Cabinet Card Frank Wendt




Millie and Christine "These were Siamese Twins. Aunt Caroline had this picture as a curiosity"

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20091123

"The Walking Tree" Hassan Ali The World's Tallest Man Wendt Cabinet Card



Giant Hassan Ali, Nickname "The Walking Tree" Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt Collection Jim Linderman

20091121

Untitled (Girl with Doll) Frank Wendt Cabinet Card


Untitled (Girl with Doll) Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt c. 1890

20091119

Linus of Marion Oregon Frank Wendt Cabinet Card


20091117

Giant Hugo and Puny Friends



"The health of the Giant is perfect, he never was sick, he eats like everybody, soup is his favorite food."

Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt, c. 1890 Collection Jim Linderman

20091115

Girard Sisters by Frank Wendt Cabinet Card c. 1890

20091112

Major Gantz of Fairfield, Iowa Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt




Major Ganz Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt, c. 1890 Collection Jim Linderman

20091109

Armless Banjo Mandolin Player John Owens Wendt Cabinet Card



John Owens was born the year the Civil War ended. He had no arms, so taught himself to play guitar, banjo, mandolin...and remarkable as that, he also signed the reverse of this card with his feet.

Circa 1890 Cabinet Card John Owens and Wife by Frank Wendt, c. 1890 Collection Jim Linderman

20091107

Princess Tiny (Mary Trudgen) Cabinet Card Frank Wendt

20091105

Albert Powell Jr. Child Contortionist Frank Wendt Wondrous World



It is interesting to note while Wendt used eight different poses on his logo stock for this composite photograph, the card itself it a simple title mount. This might imply Wendt maintained an inventory of previous images on cards? The Newberry Library contains a pen and ink drawing of Powell. He worked with Ringling Brothers, among other troupes, and joined the Seabees during World War Two.

Chld Contortionst composit cabinet card by Frank Wendt c. 1890 collection Jim Linderman

20091104

World's Longest Hair Mabel Milton Frank Wendt Cabinet Card 5 1/2 Feet



Mabel Milton Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt, c. 1890 Collection Jim Linderman

20091101

Gracie Peck by Frank Wendt cabinet card

20091030

Major John Mertz and his wife Marie cabinet card by Frank Wendt


20091028

St Leons Family Australia Circus Troupe by Frank Wendt Cabinet Card


St. Leon's Royal Victoria Circus was founded in 1875. Matthew St. Leon established a circus company as early as 1850, and the extended family had a long and impressive history of horse-riders, acrobats and more. It is a convoluted history as well! With a century of circus work and international travel, the offspring could fill a big-tent on their own. There was even an American lineage established. Photographs of some young Leon children appear in "The Endless Playground: Celebrating Australia Childhood" by Robert Holden, (a photo book of Australian photographers) on page 92. Family members performed in various incarnations, including other troupes without the family name.

20091026

Champion Sword Swallower of the World Nellie Clifford Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt

20091025

Hiram and Barney Davis (Wild Men of Borneo, Waino and Plutano, Maximo and Bartola and more) Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt



The curious fellows were exhibited under many names. They were actually Hiram and Barney Davis of Ohio. Hiram 1825-1905. Barney 1827 to 1912. A.K.A. Waino and Plutano, The Aztec Children, Maximo and Bartola, "Zip" "What is it?" William Henry Johnson, The Wild Men of Borneo.

Frank Wendt Cabinet Card, c. 1900 Collection Jim Linderman

20091022

Major Ray and Wife by Frank Wendt Cabinet Card



Major Ray, age 41 and wife, age 30. The King and Queen of the Lillipution World.

Frank Wendt Cabinet Card, collection Jim Linderman

20091020

Little Helen Boughton Cabinet Card by Frank Wendt

20091018

Miller Family by Frank Wendt Cabinet Card



Miller Family (and a "wonder dog") Frank Wendt c. 1900 Collection Jim Linderman

20091015

The Hanna Triplets by Frank Wendt Ida Iva and Eva Cabinet Card





The beautiful Ida, Iva and Eva Hanna were in the business from age 10 months old. As Iva explained in 1967 from her retirement town of St. Augustine, Florida, there weren't too many triplets in those days who survived...so I guess you could call them freaks who weren't freaks. Their father had them each wear different color ribbons in their hair so he could tell them apart. They worked for Ringling brothers and the A.B. Marcus Musical Comedy group after they learned how to dance. They stopped performing at age 20 when they started getting married. Iva married a stagehand, Eva married Blumpsie, A.K.A Blumpsy the clown. I'm not sure who Ida married, but she did...and all three were happy and kicking their heels up some 60 years after these photos were taken. They regrouped briefly in 1956 to perform and celebrate their 50th birthday. These photos will also be posted on DULL TOOL DIM BULB, the daily blog of art, photography and culture.

Group of Frank Wendt Cabinet Card Photos of the Hanna Triplets, c. 1910. Collection Jim Linderman

20091013

Morrill Twins (Evangelists) by Frank Wendt



Reverend D.T. Morrill and his brother Reverend D.D. Morrill were natives of Newark, New Jersey. The twins have "retained the art of being bachelors" and their revival meetings were conducted with a fifty dollar Calcium Stereoptican outfit which threw a 20 foot image.

20091011

Chief Debro and Wife Eskimoes c. 1905 Frank Wendt



Chief Debro and Wife (with dog) "Eskimoes" Frank Wendt c. 1905 Collection Jim Linderman

20091008

Frank Wendt Baby Sun Youngest Clown on Record

20091006

Cat Orchestra of Professor Antonio by Frank Wendt



20091004

Dog Trainer by Frank Wendt

20091003

Snake Woman by Frank Wendt four (Ilena)

20091001

Woman Acrobat by Frank Wendt (Nellie Bellmore)


20090930

Little Girl with Big Dogs by Frank Wendt two (Ethel Ogden)