Across America and the world, circus promoters have attracted crowds to their performances through brightly colored circus posters featuring the amazing ability of magicians, the death-defying bravery of acrobats and the whimsical antics of their clowns. 

Through the power of the Internet, eBay makes it possible for circus theme collectors to find a wonderful assortment of circus posters from circuses of today and yesteryear!  Join us in a brief look at the variety available....

Announcing the Circus...

Although circus performances date back to Roman times, the modern-day circus marks its beginning as 1798 in London.  From this time on, circus promoters worked feverishly to excite communities and villages to the circus that was coming to town!  A favorite method for spreading the word was through brightly colored posters advertising the circus.  These circus posters created excitement and peaked the curiosity of people...they wanted to check out the circus!!

Posters were plastered all over town announcing the arrival of the circus.  Today's circus collectors can find an amazing variety of circus posters available on eBay...rekindling the thrill of days gone by and sparking memories of nights under the Big Top!

At a Glance....Circus Companies

• Adam Forepaugh Circus
• Archaos Circus
• Barnes Wild Animal Circus
• The Bertram Mills Circus
• Big Apple Circus
• Billy Smart's Circus
• Chipperfield's Circus
• Circus Flora
• Circus Oz
• Cirque du Soleil
• Cole Brothers Circus
• Cooper and Baily Circus
• Foley and Burk Circus
• Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus
• John Strong Circus
• Jim Rose Circus
• Circus of Pepin and Breschard
• Pickle Family Circus
• Invisible Circus
• Ringling Brothers Circus
• Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey
• Sells Circus
• Tom King Excelsior Circus
• UniverSoul Circus

Popular Collecting Niches of Circus Poster Collectors

• Circus Magicians

• Sideshow Attractions

• Circus Elephants

• Circus Clowns 

• Circus Acrobats

Questions to Ask Before Buying

• Condition - Although there is a possibility that the circus poster was never displayed, never handled and stored in a climate-controlled facility...chances are good that while the poster may have been carefully handled, it likely has suffered some deterioration due to aging.

                  Has the poster been repaired?  Cleaned or restored?   
                  How is the shape?  Corners torn from hanging?  Nail holes?  Been folded in a box?   
                  Is the poster in one piece?  Is the print still legible?  Are colors vibrant or faded?
                  Is the poster an original?  Is it a reproduction? 

• Provenance - Everyone loves a good story and the provenance of a circus poster tells the story of its history.  Documentation of the provenance of a circus poster is an invaluable asset to a collector, especially for posters sold at a premium because of their association with particular circus or well-known performer.  The provenance is helpful in determining whether the circus poster and/or claim to historic prominence is authentic.

                Are there any historical documents or historical photographs (like the ones below) available recording the circus poster?
                If documents do exist, are they available for purchase?  Or could a copy be provided?
                How did the seller acquire the circus poster?  Passed down through generations?  An estate sale? 
                Is there any documented proof of the purchase or how the piece changed hands?

• Type of Poster - Circus posters come in all shapes and sizes....and were produced through a variety of processes.  Collectors can help identify the poster by recognizing the different printing processes. Examples on of processes used to print some of the vintage posters are.... 

                1) Stone Lithograph Posters are extremely popular with collectors and hail from the "Golden Age" of  circus posters. German limestone was used to create these masterpieces of art until World War I when metal began replacing the limestone.  Posters created from either limestone or metal plates are commonly called "stone lithos".

                2) Color Offset Lithograph Posters became popular at the turn of the 19th century.  They were used for mass production purposes.  At first only black and white colors were used, but now offset lithography makes use of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

                3) Photogelatine and Heliotype Posters were made by using a glass plate with a gelatin surface that held the image to be reproduced.  This process is found more often on small size posters that were viewed up close.                       

Resources on Circus Collectibles and Circus Souvenirs

Knowledge is power....which is so true for collectors of vintage posters from past circus performances and circus companies.  Circus reference books give buyers a guide to the world of collecting historical memorabilia.  Books about circuses and circus memorabilia empower buyers with an informed ability to spot great buys on eBay for circus posters, as well as every kind of circus memorabilia imaginable.

• Life in a Three-Ring Circus Posters and Interviews by Sharon Lee Smith and Stephen J. Fletcher
• American Circus Posters by Charles Philip Fox
• 100 Years of Circus Posters by Michael Dempsey
• The Soviet Arts Poster : Theatre, Cinema, Ballet, Circus by N. Baburina and The USSR Lenin Library Collection
• British Circus Posters by Aardvark Publishing

Helpful Tips for Buying Circus Collectibles

• Do Your Research - Learn as much as you can about your desired circus poster.  Not all sellers are knowledgable of the difference between reproduced posters and authentic originals.  If their description and/or photo leaves a question in your mind, then remember to ask the seller before the auction ends.  This lets you clear up things before the sale and keeps both you and the seller on the road to a successful transaction. 
• Understand eBay Jargon - Check out the list of eBay acronyms so that you can more quickly distinguish NM (near mint) from MNB (mint no box).  Informed buyers make smart buyers!
• Use different keywords - The Advanced Search option provided by eBay lets buyers search titles or the title and description or completed items. Keep in mind that not everyone will precisely list an item as a Ringling Bros Barnum and Bailey 1983 Poster.   Rather than getting discouraged...expand your search, you might discover a piece listed simply under circus print or barnum poster.   Changing your search increases the chances of finding your item. Save your search on your personalized My eBay page and receive an email notification when a new listing is posted.
• Remember eBay Stores - eBay offers buyers another area for circus collectibles through eBay Stores featuring circus collectibles. With great inventory selections and frequent updates, you just might find the perfect circus poster.  If you are still in search of a particular poster from a circus, be sure to post a notice to sellers in eBay's Want It Now section.
• Bid Safely and Smartly - Review the seller's feedback rating are their customers consistently happy with their purchase?  Do they have experience selling circus posters?  Are items sold "as is" or with a "satisfaction guarantee"?  Is there a shipping/handling fee? If you win the bid, keep in mind that PayPal provides buyers with a safe and secure means to purchase items without revealing their credit card numbers to sellers....this is a welcome (and free!) alternative.
• Savor the Journey - In conclusion....have fun with it! eBay is a great way to peek through an amazing selection of circus posters from around the world.  Discover pieces you did not know existed, meet other circus poster collectors, and remember....your dream vintage poster from the circus awaits!