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Humpty Dumpty Circus Band
 by Judith Lile and Jim Sneed

 The Schoenhut Humpty Dumpty Circus Band
The circus band was introduced about the same time as the Teddy Roosevelt sets and shared many of the same parts. In fact, all of the band member heads are found in TR characters. The helmets are the same except they are painted white. The seven band members are: the driver who doubles as the conductor, the trumpet player, the trombone player, the snare drummer, the bass drummer, the tuba player, and the helicon player.

Driver or Leader

The driver or leader is the only band member dressed in a jacket with metal buttons. His hands are drilled for horse reins. Band members have white pith helmets with a gold band. The driver is sometimes shown with a natural, or yellowish, colored helmet with a gold band.

Horn Players

Players had their mouths drilled for their instruments to fit and their hands drilled as well.

Ned Kronberg's Band
This band is from the collection of Ned Kronberg. Ned told me that the band was found at a farm auction. It was buried in the bottom of a box of  "junk"  and he really did not know that he had a band until he emptied the box after purchase.  He had seen one figure in the box that was the wagon driver and that's all he was really bidding on."

 

Band on Wagon

Here the band is assembled on the very beautiful gilded band wagon.

 

 

 

Andy Yaffee's Band

 

 

 

The Strong Museum's Band


The Strong Museum's Band

 

Horse Drawn Band Wagon with Musicians

This beautiful circus band is at auction in Bertoia's April 28th, 2006 "Fresh Finds Sale". 
All photos are courtesy of Bertoia Auctions.

This circus band is almost complete - missing are the tacking for the horses and some front horse platform wheels.

The trumpet player

The drummer

The helicon player.

The driver or leader.

He carries a baton seen at his left.

The trombone player

The horn player

The bass drum player