An original 7×5 antique photo from a large archive of Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus photos acquired from the estate of a collector. This is a unique antique/vintage silver gelatin photograph — it is not a modern print. Photo Overview A bustling Edwardian-era crowd packs an open lot in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia as Ringling Bros. “World’s Greatest Shows” stages its travelling menagerie, circa 1903. Three Asian elephants stand at centre while spectators in straw boaters and bowler hats press forward to watch them being fed; ornate animal cages line the right side, and big-top tents rise in the background. The five-storey Vancouver Milling & Grain Co. Building looms at right, its painted wall sign overlooking the vibrant scene that perfectly captures the excitement of circus day on Canada’s west coast. The Ringling Brothers first brought their mammoth menagerie north of the border in 1903, drawing thousands of Vancouverites eager to see exotic animals and marvels never before witnessed in the city. The company would merge with Barnum & Bailey in 1919, making pre-merger images from Canadian stops especially scarce. Historic Vancouver street-fronts like the Milling & Grain warehouse have long since vanished, giving this photo added local-history value-own an authentic glimpse of circus magic before it disappeared forever. Text Present Front, painted on building at right: Vancouver Milling & Grain Co. / Royal Standard / Flour Feed. ” Back, handwritten in blue ink: “Ringling Bros. World’s Greatest Shows / Corral Menagerie Condition : Good to very good vintage condition. Please see photos for scans of the surface. Photo may have natural curling or other imperfections from age.
