RBB&B Circus Show Girl on Elephant

by W. E. Windsor

$250 · Offered by Biblio

1950. Very good +. Gelatin silver print, 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. (190 x 241 mm) from the Roland Butler Collection, Press Agent, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (1930s-1960s) Roland Butler Collection hand stamp on verso. Photographer's stamp W. E. Windsor, 263 Pancoast Ave. Springfield, Pa. Slight crease upper left corner. Elephants have been important in human history for thousands of years. And they are unique in how they interact with humanity. They are not domesticated, but enter into a sort-of working agreement with humans. In exchange for food, scrubbing of parasites, and mutual protection from certain other animals-like tigers-elephants agree to act as porter vehicles, entertainers, and more rarely, warriors for humans. . . . The British had a huge interest in African elephants. They purchased Jumbo by giving the French an Indian rhino. Jumbo was then imported into the newly established zoological society gardens on Regent Square and he became a star attraction. During the day children would pay two pence for a bun to feed him. And the zookeepers realized they could put a howdah, the traditional elephant saddle, on his back so he could give rides to children. This was the start of the zoo's most popular activity. Among the children who rode Jumbo are the Prince of Wales and the other children of Queen Victoria, a young Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt and a number of children of the titled heads of Europe. Jumbo would later be acquired by P. T. Barnum, turned i

• Year: 1950
• Binding: unknown

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