VERY RARE Signed Antique Photo African American Minstrel Circus Wire Performer

VERY RARE Signed Antique Photo African American Minstrel Circus Wire Performer

VERY RARE Signed Antique Photo African American Minstrel Circus Wire Performer
Very rare photo of the Great Layton, an African American wire balancing performer in the late 1800s and early 1900s, shown here doing his act, with his advertising banner visible on the left. Layton appears to have signed the back of the photo in ink. I couldn’t find much info about him after that time. This is the only cabinet photo I have ever seen for sale of this performer. It was probably one of a small handful made as part of a promo for a small show. This listing shows a scan of an article I found online. The clipping is shown in this listing for reference only, and the original article is not included. My scan shows the front and back of the same photo, plus the scan of the article. Image including its mount is approximately 4.5″ x 3.5″. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Photographic Images\Photographs”. The seller is “jack_mord” and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States.
  • Antique: Yes
  • Photo Type: Cabinet Photo
  • Autograph Format: Hard Signed
  • Signed: Yes
  • Date of Creation: 1900-1910
  • Image Color: Black & White
  • Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
  • Subject: Circus, African American, Ethnic, Sideshow, Sideshow Performers, Black
  • Type: Photograph
  • Format: Cabinet Card
  • Original/Reprint: Original Print
  • Theme: Americana
  • Time Period Manufactured: Vintage & Antique (Pre-1940)
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United States

VERY RARE Signed Antique Photo African American Minstrel Circus Wire Performer

PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU

PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU
PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU
PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU
PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU
PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU
PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU

PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU
ANTIQUES ARE A GOOD INVESTMENT. THEY PROVIDE GREAT PLEASURE WHILE GROWING IN VALUE! WE WELCOME YOU TO CLASSICLITERATI AUCTIONS! PRESENTING A VERY RARE ORIGINAL HISTORIC ANTIQUE Circa 1890’s CABINET CARD PHOTOGRAPH OF THE LEGENDARY CIRCUS FREAK PERUMAL SAMI AS A CHILD WITH HIS MYSTERIOUS ATTACHED HEADLESS PARASITIC TWIN & DWARF SIDEKICK! ALONGSIDE SAMI IS THE DWARF SOOPROMANIEN! SIMILAR CONDITION TO CONJOINED TWINS! SOMETIMES SAMI REFERRED TO THE TWIN AS “SIRIUS”. HE CALLED HIS TWIN “SYRIUS”! ALLEGEDLY PERUMAL SAMI WAS AN ADHERENT OF ASTROLOGY SINCE CHILDHOOD! … BUT LATER IN LIFE, ALCOHOLISM GOT THE WORST OF HIM! THE DWARF WAS MERELY A BONUS ACT! A TRULY EXCELLENT COLLECTORS ITEM! PHOTOGRAPHED IN NYC BY OBERMULLER & SON! A HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER CIRCUS IMAGE! SUCH LEGENDARY PERFORMERS WORKED MANY VENUES: INCLUDING CIRCUSES, SIDESHOWS, CARNIVALS, BURLESQUE & VAUDEVILLE THEATERS AND P. BARNUM’S FAMED “AMERICAN MUSEUM”! Visit Our Classicliterati Auctions Each Week For.. Fascinating, Historic & Unique Collectible Treasures! Regarded by Collectors Worldwide as the Leading Specialist in Masonic, Knights Templar, Odd Fellows, Fraternal and other Secret Society Antiques & Collectibles! We also Feature Many Other Fascinating Collectibles from Throughout the World! We Treat You Like Royalty!! This is a Fantastic and Genuine Historic Antique 19th Century Cabinet Card photograph of one of the most legendary Circus Sideshow Freak performers alongside a turbaned dwarf sidekick. Born in India, Mr. Perumal Sami was born with a parasitic twin. An extremely rare and popular condition in sideshows and carnivals, he thrived financially in spite of a supposedly aggressive temperament. Depending on the venue where exhibited, the parasitic twin was not always billed under the same name. Sami referred to the twin as “Syrius”. This was probably because he had been a follower of astrology since childhood. The dwarf sidekick was named Soopromanien Munsamy. Perumal Sami was still quite young when this photo was taken. Allegedly, his career was relatively short lived as the disease of alcoholism gradually crept into his life. The Cabinet Card Photo is in very good vintage condition with only some normal minor surface wear (routine corner wear on backing). It measures approximately 4 ½ x 6 ½ inches! A great and highly sought after picture to be sure. FANTASTIC CLASSIC 19th CENTURY CIRCUS IMAGE! VERY RARE ORIGINAL HISTORIC ANTIQUE Circa 1890’s CABINET CARD PHOTOGRAPH OF THE LEGENDARY CIRCUS FREAK PERUMAL SAMI & HIS MYSTERIOUS HEADLESS PARASITIC TWIN! This photo was taken by the great “Obermuller & Son” who along with Matthew Brady, Charles Eisenmann, Olivier and Frank Wendt were New York’s and America’s leading photographers for circus and entertainment venues. We regularly feature extremely attractive and also very rare, top quality antiques including among the finest in Fraternal and Masonic Swords and Historic Relics as well as many other fascinating items. Among our clients are Museums and Archives as well as many collectors the world over. Please keep checking our Classicliterati auctions. We try to describe items to the best of our ability. In the Circus, people with parasitic twins were quite a rare and sough after attraction. They have their place alongside celebrated Freaks such as Jo-Jo the Russian Dog Faced Man, Lionel the Lion Faced Boy, Zip the “What-Is-It” Pinhead, the “Midget” Tom Thumb, “Bearded Lady” Annie Jones, “Armless Wonder” Charles Tripp, “Legless” Eli Bowen, “Siamese Twins” Chang & Eng and other historic marvels. Many of whom we know from photographs by Matthew Brady, Charles Eisenmann, Frank Wendt or the Swords brothers. This item is a GENUINE PERIOD ORIGINAL! CHECK OUR AUCTIONS EACH WEEK FOR A WIDE SELECTION OF THE FINEST MASONIC & FRATERNAL SOCIETY SWORDS, ANTIQUES & OTHER FASCINATING QUALITY COLLECTIBLES! FANTASTIC ANTIQUE PHOTOGRAPH OF TWO FAMOUS CIRCUS FREAKS! No part or parts of this ad may be reproduced without permission. The free listing tool. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Photographic Images\Photographs”. The seller is “classicliterati” and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped worldwide.
  • Photographer: Obermuller & Son
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
  • Featured Person/Artist: Perumal Sami
  • Theme: Amusement Parks, Freak Shows, Circus Sideshows
  • Format: Cabinet Card
  • Type: Photograph
  • Antique: Yes
  • Number of Photographs: One
  • Vintage: Yes
  • Subject: FREAKS CONJOINED PARASITIC TWINS CIRCUS SIDESHOW, Circus, Carnival, India, Human Oddities, Dwarf, Dwarves, Hindu, Medical, Scientific, Deformity, Deformities, Anomalies
  • Region of Origin: US
  • Size Type/Largest Dimension: Small (Up to 7\
  • Time Period Manufactured: 1850-1899
  • Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
  • Date of Creation: 1890’s
  • Color: Black & White
  • Photo Type: Cabinet Photo
  • Original/Reprint: Original Print

PARASITIC TWIN Great RARE Old CIRCUS FREAKS PHOTO with DWARF MYSTICAL GURU