Book entitled Barnum's Great Show the only toy book authorised by Mr. Barnum illustrated by Dudley Hardy. The book is shaped like a drum, and the... Show moreBook entitled Barnum's Great Show the only toy book authorised by Mr. Barnum illustrated by Dudley Hardy. The book is shaped like a drum, and the cover features a portrait of P.T. Barnum in the center of the drum. The border of the drum is red with gold detailing, and the body of the drum is a dark blue. Within are scenes from P.T. Barnum's circus, each with their own small caption or labels. The captions read The only Trained Living Giant Hippopotamus which shows a hippo and its trainer; a page with individual portraits of an 'Aztec', 'performing oxen', 'twins giants', 'monkey dude' and 'midgets'; the only Educated Zebras in the World which shows three zebras performing tricks in a circus ring; monkey jockey race which shows monkeys riding horses in a circus ring; a page with individual portraits of the athletic legless man, educated pigs and monkey and the rival clowns; a page with individual portraits of Hindoo Snake Charmer, one of the Japs, poor old Jumbo's skeleton, one of the marvelous grands and one of the Zulus; the only four-in-hand elk team in existence showing a carriage being pulled by four elks; a page with individual portraits of wonderful trained donkeys and monkey, legless lady and roller skate carnival, the marvelous long and high jumping acrobats who are shown clearing a row of elephants; a page with individual portraits of pretty little Miss Starr with her Performing Lambs and performing Russian wolves; a two page illustration showing the grand procession of Nero through Rome which features the Roman emperor Nero being pulled on a great throne by several horses; a page of individual portraits of performing bears, Mexican Vaqueros, and Display of Infallible Accuracy; and the last page features the only School of Educated Seals with their Finland Trainers showing eleven seals and three trainers giving a performance. The back of the book features Jumbo with the words Poor Old Jumbo over him. Below, bursting through the bottom of the drum, are two clowns. Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that bore his name, but his circus ventures came about when he was in his 60s. The first show was called P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus. Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum's show and the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum and Bailey circus. The name remained until 1919 when it became the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. It came to an end in May 2017 when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus ceased performances after 146 years. Show less