Tents & Rings

The Schoenhut Tents & Ring Almost all circuses of Schoenhut's time toured with tents to protect the audience and performers from the weather and to provide a structure from which the apparatus for the acrobats and other performers were attached. The Schoenhut canvas tents present the animals and performers very well - providing three dimensions in which to display them. The tent was introduced in 1906. Only the circus ring is shown in the 1903-1904 catalog.
Photo courtesy of Bertoia Auctions Acrobat Tent This tent came with a high wire for the acrobats. This is an early version - the rear support dowels are inserted into a rotating dowel. All canvas tents have flags of the nations, banner flags for the sides, and a "Humpty Dumpty Circus" flag for the top. The rear entry curtain is usually red but a striped maroon curtain is found on very early ones. A swinging bar with rings hang from the inside top. 24 X 36 X 36 inches Photo by Judith Lile Early Curtain Menagerie Tent The curtain fabric is rare and early. Notice the dowel at the rear that holds up the canvas. Later designs omitted this feature.	Menagerie Tent The canvas menagerie tent has no high wire apparatus. This example is a later version with its rear vertical support dowels inserted into the rear base piece. Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Andy Yaffee
Reduced Tent The reduced size tent was designed just like the regular size canvas tent only smaller. It came in two versions - one as shown here with a wood ring and a relatively shallow frame and one without the ring and with a relatively deep frame. The top flag is an American flag. 18" deep X 24" wide X 30 inches tall Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner	Lithographed Tent The lithographed tent was introduced in the late 1920s to bolster sales. Apparently not many were sold as they are pretty scarce. The great depression was began in 1929. 44 inches long Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Lajla Duffy
Reduced Lithographed Tent This is a rare tent. It also came in a version without the interior lithograph. There were two American flags on top.	Side Show Panels The side show panels were introduced along with the lithographed tent. They came with a wooden frame. 18 X 42 inches
Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed Circus Ring The circus ring is a very early accessory - introduced before tents. It is all wood. The material inside the ring is simulated sawdust. Its dimensions are 24 1/4 x 24 1/4. Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed
Illustration from Schoenhut's Copyright 1928 catalog. All of the animals are painted eyes and the performers have one-part heads. Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Lajla Duffy and Jim Sneed	Schoenhut's tent offerings of 1933
Canvas Tent Humpty Dumpty Circus Display The canvas tent for this circus creates an exciting backdrop for the circus performers. This tent is from about 1920. The circus pieces are from 1903 to the 1930s.