Antique 1900-1905 Lowery Bros. New Olympia Shows Poster – "The Gladiators..."

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Antique 1900-1905 Lowery Bros. New Olympia Shows Poster – "The Gladiators...":
$4500.00

This fascinating poster advertises one of the "living statuary" or "classical posing" exhibitions that were enormously popular with circus, carnival, museum, and vaudeville audiences around the turn of the twentieth century. Performers recreated famous Greek and Roman sculptures through carefully choreographed poses, often using body makeup to resemble marble statues. These exhibitions combined athleticism, art, and theatrical spectacle, allowing showmen to present displays of the human form under the guise of classical education and fine art.

Lowery Bros. New Olympia Shows toured throughout the United States during the early 1900s, presenting a combination of circus acts, sideshow attractions, and novelty exhibitions. Posters from the show are super rare, particularly pictorial examples like this one illustrating the Gladiators attraction. The striking design—with deep crimson stage curtains framing marble-like performers against a dramatic classical setting—makes this one of the more artistic and unusual American circus posters of the era.

Printed by the famed Donaldson Lithographing Company, this poster displays the superb craftsmanship for which the firm became known. Despite its muted classical palette, the rich reds of the theatrical curtains and bright yellow title panel really pop off the poster, creating outstanding visual impact.

Approximate date: c.1900–1905

Approximate size:

28" x 41" (linen backed)

Actual:

Paper 28 6/8 x 40.5

linen: 32 3/4 x 34 1/2

Condition

This original antique circus poster has been professionally linen backed for long-term preservation and display.

Please note that this poster exhibits very heavy overall wear, consistent with an original working circus poster that survived extensive use over well a century ago. There are numerous fold separations, heavy creasing, age toning, staining, edge wear, and paper loss throughout the poster. Multiple border losses, corner losses, and scattered areas of loss within the image have been professionally stabilized during restoration.

Several areas have been professionally repainted (inpainted) to compensate for previous losses and to improve the poster's overall display appearance. While the restoration has greatly enhanced its presentation, evidence of the poster's long and hard life remains visible upon close inspection, and this example should be considered a heavily restored specimen.

As is common with professionally restored antique posters, some areas may have been professionally touched up or inpainted, although it can be difficult to determine the full extent of such work on older restorations.

There is identification writing in permanent marker on the linen backing (outside the original poster image) used for inventory purposes. This writing is on the linen backing only, does not affect the original poster itself, and will be concealed once professionally framed.

Despite its very heavy wear and restoration, the poster has excellent display presence. The rich crimson curtains and vibrant yellow title panel really pop off the poster, and its dramatic imagery, exceptional rarity, and professional conservation make it a highly desirable example of a super rare early American circus and sideshow poster.

Shipping

The poster will be carefully packed and shipped rolled in a heavy-duty mailing tube to ensure safe delivery.

Flat shipping is available upon request for an additional charge due to specialized packaging requirements.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if additional photographs are desired.

Be sure to check out my other listings—I currently have 80+ antique theatre, circus, and advertising posters available, with more being added regularly. Thanks for looking!