A large tinted tintype circa 1870’s to 1890’s of a beautiful woman circus performer who wears a fantastic outfit that includes a fancy headdress and a dress with stars down the center front. She wears gloves and holds what looks like a card in one hand. In the other hand she holds a long slender item that looks as though it is a switch of the type used to train horses or other animals. Small coins are suspended from her headpiece. Her elaborate dress and the items that she holds are clues as to what it was that she did. It may be that she was involved in the circus and that the switch was used during performances that involved horses or other circus animals. The card in her hand may be a tarot card. Perhaps she was a performer who had several specialties including fortune telling and having animals perform for her. The tintype measures 6 1/2 inches by 4 3/8 inches. The condition of the tintype can be seen in the accompanying image. There are two tiny bumps where something pointed pushed in from the back. The upper left and the lower right corner have some gradual bends. The emulsion does not extend all the way to the right edge in the area of the lower half but this looks to be as it was made as the edge would have been covered if the image was put in a frame. There is a 3/4 inch long gradual bump in the edge at the top right of center. The reference number for this item is #3502. International Buyers – Please Note.
