I am old enough to have lived during the time when a circus would come to town via the railroad. They'd pull the train over on the siding, unload the equipment, wagons, and animals, and then parade to the place where the circus would be performing. It was very exciting, and I can still remember the sights, sounds, and smells as I walked the circus grounds with my family.
Collecting circus memorabilia is its own hobby (check out eBay) and while I have been tempted by some of the posters and other things, I have stuck pretty much to the model horse souvenirs.
This resin horse is one that was sold as a souvenir of your visit to the circus. I found it on eBay. It's heavy and clunky, and I don't know much about it although I know it is from Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey. I think it is part of a set, but I did some looking and could not find out if that was right.
This styrene horse (which looks a lot like Breyer's Western Prancing Horse) has a pearlized paint job and pink accents. It's glitzy like you'd expect a circus souvenir to be. Sold at Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey performances, you could also buy it from their web site. (Not much is left there as the circus closed.)
This Breyer Western Horse knock-off was the predecessor to the other piece. It, too, is made of styrene, has a pink pearlized finish, and is glitzy. (I have the pink feathers put away for safe keeping.)
Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey held its last performance in May of 2017 and then closed for good. While I count myself lucky to have seen the old time, arrive on the train and then parade to the fairgrounds circuses, as an adult I had concerns about animal welfare. I was a little sad when they closed, but I also felt it was the right thing to do.
Tomorrow, some more unusual pieces that are not often seen.
Prepare to be amazed!
