Cole Bros. 1940
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
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A Blog designed for discussion of topics related to, but not limited to, Circus, Zoos, Animal Training, and Animal Welfare/Husbandry. Sometimes opening up the dialog is the best starting point of all. And if for nothing else when people who agree and don't agree, get together and start discussing it, it will open up a lot of peoples minds. Debate and discussion even amongst themselves opens a window where there wasn't one before.
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7 comments:
The Lion and Mirror Bandwagon was built in 1879 by the Sebastian Co. of New York, for the Adam Forepaugh Circus. In 1890, it was sold to the Ringling Bros.
Joe Bradbury's wagon notes indicate the Ringling's cousins, the Moeller Bros. re-worked the Bandwagon making it a shorter vessell as the Ringling show was travelling by rail.
It remained on the Ringling Bros through 1918 then on the Ringling / Barnum combine in 191 and 1920. It then went into mothballs at the Bridegport Winter Quarters until 1926 when it was sold to George Christy's Christy Bros. Circus.
George used it from 1926 until 1931 where it remained in his winter quarters until 1934. Jess Adkins and Zach Terrell bought it for their 1935 Cole Bros. Circus and used it until 1937. It stayed in their winter quarters until 1946 when it was purchased by the Block and Kuhl Dept. Store of Peoria, IL. when it was completely restored.
They kept it until 1961 when they gave it to the Circus World Museum. It's 23 feet long, 10 feet tall and weighs about 6 tons with the central lion carvings being over 8 feet long.
Bob
Bob,
Thank you for that information. Did the Block and Kuhl Dept. Store use it for parades, or was it just displayed?
Wade
Wade, I received a really informative email today from a man that knew the details of some of the information I provided earlier.
A couple things that really stood out was the "Completely Restored" by Block and Kuhl in Joe Bradbury's notes was an aggravated Patch to the people at CWM when they found the carvings, falling apart and filled with screen mesh, welding rods and plaster. That was the restoration at Block and Kuhl.
Having called the wagon 6 tons all along, it actually weighed 8400+ lbs after being completely restored at CWM.
As to what Block and Kuhl did with it, I'm not sure but I have seen a photo somewhere in a local parade. How often it was used, I don't know.
Bob
Bob,
Great stuff, thank you for sharing. I imagine when Baraboo removed the 'additional iron, welding rods and plaster' used in the original 'restoration' it did reduce the weight considerably. :) Speaking of aggravated patching', I am still having a problem wrapping my brain around what was done with the Arthur Bros. Ticket Wagon and why. If there have been other instances of that being done to a wagon, I would appreciate it if you and Flint would keep it to yourselves and not tell me about it. It will irate me to much.
Wade
Wade
Wade- History is what history is, simple as that. We didn't make it- we just document it. Rember, these wagons changed a great deal over the years when on the shows also. Don't shoot the messengers.
FLINT
Flint,
It doesn't matter who much they changed over the years. I want them restored the way I want them restored, when I feel they looked the best. As John Herriott would say, "case closed."
Wade
And as they told us in the shop- "When you own it you can do what you want!"
FLINT
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