In the year 1907 the Moller Brothers of Baraboo, Wisconsin, built a bandwagon for their cousins the Ringlings. It was called "The Swan." In the following years it found its way to the Christy show and then the Ken Maynard Wild West show in 1936. Following the ill-fated one stand tour of the Maynard show it remained in the Los Angeles area and was used in motion pictures. When Walt Disney framed his Disneyland Circus he gathered up many of the finer wagons in the Los Angeles area and refurbished them. The Swan was one of these.
Now after these many years the colorful bandwagon has returned to Baraboo. The Swan and eight other wagons have been donated by Walt Disney to the Circus World Museum. The wagons have ben appraised at $161,000 by the American Appraisal Co.
CHS Chappie Fox called the Swan "the gem of the lot." But there are others of near equal value and interest. The oldest wagon is a corner statue cage built for the Barnum, Bailey and Hutchinson show in 1880.
Other wagons in group include a couple of baggage wagons built in 1922 for the Christy show. Others were built for the Martin Downs Cole Bros. Circus about 40 years ago. An Al G. Barnes ticket wagon, and a Barnes cage of unusual design are among the group also.
The wagons were loaded on the Santa Fe railroad in California, and were due to arrive at Baraboo about June 7. The Disney group, one of the largest old time circus wagon collections outside the Museum, will bring the total at the Circus World Museum to 45. This is equal to the number of wagons carried by a 15 car railroad circus in the "golden days."
Id | 7118 |
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Availability | Free |
Inserted | 2022-10-23 |