Courier : The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth, Imre Kiralfy's Columbus and the Discovery of America 1887; 1892;1892

Set of three couriers or Imre Kiralfy's production Columbus and the Discovery of America. The first in the set is intended for Jersey City on Monday, May 2, 1892, the second is intended for May 29, 1892 in Bridgeport Connecticut, and the third in the set is for Newark, New Jersey, on May 4-5th, 1892. First is the courier for Jersey City, New Jersey, which is printed on red paper. At the top of the cover are portraits of P.T. Barnum and J.A. Bailey, who flank the header that reads The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth. The dense text on the cover gives the title and an astounding number of statistics about the expense of the production and the number of people involved. Taking up the lower third of the cover is a depiction of the Santa Maria sailing the ocean, with the Nina and the Pinta in the background. Page two features a note from J.A. Bailey to the public, describing the new circus, and also featuring a column of illustrations of racing horses, acrobats, Columbus raising a sword up in the air, and giraffes in a circus ring. The third page features a listing of various performers and acts in the circus itself, as well as an illustration titled Super Ballet of 300 Beauties before the Moorish King, featuring dancing women in front of Middle Eastern inspired architecture. Pages four and five are dominated by a scene from Kiralfy's production, entitled the Triumphal Entry of Columbus at Barcelona Upon his Return from the Discovery of America. Columbus is front and center being led through a parade of soldiers while he is on horseback. Below is a cast listing and several credits for the production. On the next page is further information about the production, along with a column of illustrations that feature: the interior of the hall of 40 supernatural illusions; horses doing tricks; horses racing; horses doing tricks with their trainer; wonderful performing goat; Bo-peep and her flock of trained sheep; chariot races; a rhino; and a man and trained elephants entitled waltz with your partners. The second to last page contains additional advertisements for circus acts, along with three depictions of the circus street parade. The first in the upper left corner is dominated by horses, the second is placed in the middle right and features horses pulling various circus wagons, and the third is placed in the lower left corner and shows wild animals in cages being pulled through the streets. The back page continues the advertisements, as well as the approach of Columbus in a landing boat towards America. Columbus stands in the boat, one hand holding a standard, and Native Americans looking surprised and alarmed at his approach. The second courier is for a performance at Bridgeport, Connecticut, for Monday, May 20, 1892. Printed on white paper with blue ink, it too features portraits of P.T. Barnum and J.A. Bailey with words The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth between them. Placed in the middle of the cover is an image of Columbus raising a sword in one hand and holding a standard in the other, having just landed in America. He is surrounded by fellow Europeans who are kneeling on the ground or raising hands skywards in celebration of the discovery. Beneath the illustration is additional text that promotes the size of the circus. The first ten pages of the courier itself are dedicated to showing scenes from the production of Columbus and the Discovery of America. The text promotes the size and expense of the production, as well as the efforts put in to make it a grand spectacle. The rest of the courier focuses on the circus acts, and on the back of the cover is an illustration of the street parade as it goes through a town's main thoroughfare. Third in the set is an courier for Newark, New Jersey, for May 4th and 5th. Besides the change in location printed on the front, it is an exact copy of the courier printed for Bridgeport, Connecticut. Imre Kiralfy (originally Königsbaum) (January 1845-April 28, 1919) was a Hungarian born producer of spectacles, with a number of his elaborate productions being put on by the Barnum and Bailey circus. Originally working to produce shows with his brother Bolossy, the two put on what were known as spectacles - elaborately staged multi-media productions with music, lavish costuming, massive sets, dancing, extensive use of new electrical lighting, and minimal emphasis on dialogue. The two had a successful partnership, but split in 1887 following a falling out for reasons unknown. Imre went on to produce shows like Nero; or the Fall of Rome, Columbus and the Discovery of America and The Fall of Babylon that toured as a part of the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Kiralfy died in Brighton, England on April 28, 1919. 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.