Does anyone know how many times the colors have been changed on the Two Jester? When and why did the horrid orange and green come about?
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Two Jesters Calliope
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Wade G. Burck
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5 comments:
I'm in the process of making a model wagon of the 2 Jesters.
I only find that it was 3 different color combinations. Including the pumpkin variety.
But it could have been many more, undocumented colors. D.Younger
Dennis,
Thank you. The "pumpkin variety" as you call it seems to be a odd color for a circus wagon. I wonder who's idea it was?
I envy you having the skill to do these circus wagon models.
Wade
Wade,
The "Pumpkin" variation was the color scheme that was last used on this wagon in its "performing" days on RBBB in the 1945 spec.
The Museum of the American Circus secured this calliope from the RBBB winter quarters in Sarasota in 1949. The name was later changed to the Ringling Museum. The grande lady has certainly been around awhile.
Originally built for the Sells-Floto Circus in Denver, Colorado around 1919, carvings for one side came from the Denver Post building while another set of carvings were created for the other side of the wagon.
Having spent the first five years of its life on the Sells-Floto Circus, it then was left in the Peru WQ for the next 8 years before Hagenbeck-Wallace used it again in 1934 and 1935.
This was one of the few wagons that ws saved from the huge wagon burnings in Peru and was eventually shipped to Sarasota. RBBB used it in their spec in the 1940's before shelving it completely after the 1946 season.
I'll send you a photo of it shortly after it arrived at the Museums.
Bob
The legend of carvings coming from the Denver Post building for application on the Sells-Floto steam calliope remains just that---legend. Bradbury pursued the matter and found no documentation for the alleged affiliation.
The paint work at most circus museums in the 1950s and early 1960s were accomplished by well-meaning volunteers, working with what they had at hand. The thought to base the colors on history documents and vintage photographs had not yet been evolved.
There are just a couple photos of the Sells-Floto calliope when with that show, but perhaps at one time the figures had some green on them. It may have been revealed after weathering in the Florida sun. The orange was likely derived from the sun-faded Ringling red that provided the last body color. Because red fades faster, early on the Ringlings added orange to their red paint mix.
It would not be out of the realm to suggest that the "jesters" represented Tammen & Bonfils, the show owners. Anyone having questions about their business ethics is directed to Gene Fowler's book "Timberline." Their battles with the Ringling show and others, including the aged Buffalo Bill, are quite interesting.
Documents indicate a wide variety of wagon body paint colors including white, yellow, orange,red, blue and green. I don't recall seeing black, brown or purple mentioned. Shows turned to painting carvings in primary colors by the 1920s, a less expensive proposition that gold or other metal leaf application.
Anonymous,
The idea that the orange may have been original faded red is indeed valid as well as most interesting. Well meaning volunteers, and what the road to hell is paved with are often one in the same.
Thank you for the tip about the book "Timberline." I was not aware of it, and shall look for it when I return stateside.
Wade
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