Vintage Late 19th Century Canvas Circus Carnival Midway Folk Art Sideshow Banner
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Very early American circus or carnival Sideshow Banner, circa 1890-1900. Fantastic paint detail. Great example of American folk art banner painting. The Great American African Camel ...
Canvas
Vintage Sideshow Banner by Fred Johnson
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage hand painted sideshow banner by Fred Johnson.
Leather, Canvas
Vintage Sideshow Banner "Hippolyta" by Snap Wyatt
By Snap Wyatt
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage hand painted sideshow banner "Hippolyta" by Snap Wyatt.
Leather, Canvas
Vintage Johnny Meah Sideshow Banner "A Tidal Wave Of Fun"
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Miss Peggy's day at the beach....forever immortalized by Johnny Meah....one of the great master sideshow banner artists. This beauty is big and bold!
Iron
Sold
H 105.52 in W 118.9 in D 0.2 in
Huge vintage 1970s / 1980s French painted fairground / carnival banner- makeup
Located in Hastings, GB
Huge late 1970s/ early 1980s French painted fairground / carnival / sideshow banner. Presumably part of an American themed ride or attraction, it's decorated with cool girls, makeup,...
Canvas
Vintage Canvas Side Show Banner Carnival
Located in Santa Monica, CA
"First Time Here!" Fantastic graphic sideshow banner. Traditional heavy canvas. Some remaining leather straps and metal rings for hanging, Banner is torn in some places and lower...
Canvas
Vintage Urana the Ape Girl Sideshow Banner
By Hennen Studios
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic, circa 1960s sideshow banner from Pete Hennen's midway marvels ten in one show. Hennen is credited with inventing one of the best girl to gorilla illusions ever. His illusi...
Canvas, Paint
Vintage Turtle Baby Carnival Sideshow Banner, circa 1930s-1940s
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic turtle baby sideshow banner. Great colors and a nice manageable size. This banner was found outside of Chicago and most likely the work of Nieman Eisman of Nieman Studios. ...
Canvas
Vintage Large Sideshow Palm Readers Banner, "Temple Of Palmistry"
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Great subject matter! Carnival or sideshow "Temple of Palmistry" banner from palm reader's booth. At 8 feet wide and 2 feet tall, this is a manageable size to hang on a wall.
Canvas
Sold
H 137 in W 67.5 in D 0.13 in
Vintage Circus or Sideshow Hand-Painted Giant Clown Banner, circa 1940s
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Vintage one of a kind circus or sideshow hand painted banner with a giant clown balancing a feather on his nose.
Canvas
Two-Sided Sideshow Banner, Signed Sigler
By Sigler Studios
Located in Peekskill, NY
If you know vintage circus sideshow banners than you know the name SIGLER - TAMPA.
Vintage Circus Banner
Located in San Francisco, CA
"Circus Peanuts- the most magnificent peanuts in all the world!" on cotton canvas with applique lettering in red and black canvas, with cotton trim and tassels. It's backed by a thic...
Cotton
Vintage Hand-Painted Canvas All-Girl Freak Show Banner
By Snap Wyatt
Located in Seattle, WA
Created in the late 1940s to advertise an all-girl freak show and side show. This item has been photographed for the book, "Freaks-Geeks & Strange Girls" by Randy Johnson, Johnny Mea...
Steel
Strong Man, Circus Side-Show Banner
Located in North Egremont, MA
Pop graphics and color on this vintage side show banner, great size
$116,195
H 240 in W 552 in D 120 in
Mid-Victorian Moorish wrought & cast iron pergola or decorative garden structure
Located in London, GB
A monumental Moorish mid-Victorian wrought iron Pergola or Decorative Garden Structure, a unique masterpiece in High Victorian Ironwork design. Our research confirms it is French, da...
Wrought Iron
Carnival Midway Punk Knockdown Goat Game
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Vintage carnival punk. Unusual goat named "Billie". Knock "Billie" over and win the prize.
Canvas
Original Wood Carved Carnival Midway Poster Letterpress
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Set of three original hand-carved letterpress made by the Neal Walters Poster Company. Fantastic carnival midway scene. Games, carnival rides and acrobats. Carved with incredible det...
Wood, Paint
Carved American Carnival Head, circa 1890s
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Finely featured carved man's head found in the southern United States. Most likely a late 19th century carnival head featured in a ball or ring toss game.
Wood
$6,000
H 42.5 in W 37 in D 3 in
Wood Carved Folk Art Girl and Dog Carousel Chariot Original Paint Surface
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic girl and her dog Folk Art carved carousel chariot panel. Superb original paint surface. Great three dimensional surface. Excellent wall hanging.
Wood
19th Century French Carousel Pig
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fantastic 19th century carousel pig. Super whimsical carnival piece from a bygone era. Carved wood with cast iron curly tail and handle. Original layers of park paint and glass eyes....
Iron
Pair of Hand Painted Early Carnival Rounding Boards
Located in Norwalk, CT
Bring an unusual piece of folk history into your home with this stunning pair of early 20th century rounding boards salvaged from a carnival. With hand painted designs and gold leaf ...
Wood
$2,900
H 113.25 in W 16.5 in D 2 in
Early 20th Century Carnival Carousel Funhouse Architectural Columns
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Fun antique architectural elements from carnival carousel or funhouse ride. Layers of beautiful original park paint. Great scale for wall art or to act as a frame for something else....
Wood
$13,500
H 44 in W 52 in D 10 in
Antique French Limonaire Frères Signed Carved Painted Wood Carousel Donkey Ride
Located in Forney, TX
A rare, important and most charming French carousel amusement ride by important Parisian craftsmen Limonaire Frères / Limonaire Brothers (France; 1839-1932) Hand-crafted in Paris, F...
Wood, Paint
$4,500 / set
H 50 in W 10 in D 1 in
19th Century American Traveling Circus Carousel or Circus Wagon Carvings
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Pair of American 19th century circus wagon or traveling carousel three-dimensional wood carved faces. From an early American traveling circus. Many layers of paint and patina. Each i...
Large Hand Painted Early Carnival Rounding Board
Located in Norwalk, CT
Bring an unusual piece of folk history into your home with this stunning early 20th century rounding board salvaged from a carnival. With hand-painted designs of putti and harp motif...
Wood
$395
H 17 in W 24.5 in D 1 in
Equestrian Circus Poster by Ringling Bros Ca. 1971 Featuring "Miss Helen Girard"
Located in Incline Village, NV
There is a lot going on in this equestrian themed, bright and colorful circus poster portraying famous early 20th century circus performer "Miss Helen Girard". She is in a horse draw...
Paper
Early 20th Century Hand Carved English Fairground Carousel Panel
Located in London, GB
Early 20th Century Hand Carved English Fairground Carousel Panel A rare piece of traditional English fairground art attributed to Orton and spooner. All carved from sections piece ...
Pine
$6,828 / set
H 72.05 in W 21.26 in D 8.67 in
Early 20th C Robert Lakin & Co Fairground Carnival Circus Pillars Edwin Hall
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A truly fantastic group of totally original untouched decorative fairground pillars by the infamous Robert J Lakin Company of 67 Besley Street, Streatham, London The pillars are h...
Pine
The collection of original antique and vintage carnival art on 1stDibs includes paintings and posters that promoted traveling carnivals and circuses of years past as well as masks, sculptures and other works of folk art associated with widespread public celebrations that mark the start of harvest season or are rooted in religion.
The concept of “Carnival” is linked to an event that precedes Lent, the season of preparation before Easter for Christians (it may also have roots in Ancient Rome’s pagan Saturnalian festival), while the modern traveling carnival that we know — i.e., amusement fairs — existed during the 19th century in North America. The Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 was pivotal to these traveling amusement fairs.
Some of the most famous celebrations of Carnival around the world include Karneval in Germany, Carnival in Brazil and Mardi Gras in the United States. Carnival in Barbados is a traditional harvest festival. The bright colors, the caricatured masks and floats and the over-the-top nature of Carnival continue to enthrall millions across the globe.
Carnivals have always given way to impressive displays of creativity and folk art. Folk art is art created by people who are not classically trained for either utilitarian or decorative purposes. With respect to visual art in folk art, it refers to work that is reflective of a community’s culture and usually handmade by craftspeople working within a popular tradition.
Carnival art reflects the way different cultures celebrate or mark an important community event. Some examples of Carnival art include fabric dolls and marionettes that are used to tell stories and capture your imagination. Antique dolls make for striking collectibles positioned for display on any shelf in your home, while carnival masks make a bold statement as wall art. A collection of masks could create an elevated accent wall in a living room or dining room.
Browse 1stDibs to find unique antique and vintage carnival art for your space today.
At Waddesdon Manor, artist Joana Vasconcelos has installed a three-tiered patisserie inspired by the narrative tile work of her homeland. We take a look at the cake sculpture and how Portuguese tiles have been used in architecture from the 17th century to today.
The streets of fin-de-siècle Paris were set aglow with colorful poster ads, thanks to the printing techniques invented by Jules Chéret. Now, the Milwaukee Art Museum is celebrating this undersung talent in America's first solo show dedicated his exuberant works.
Expert Jeff Bridgman explains the history and meaning behind the twinkling constellations that have graced Old Glory.
The iconoclastic style setter displayed African and Oceanic art, as well as works by indigenous peoples of the Americas, alongside pieces by such major modernists as Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock.
Perfect for July 4th weekend, a new show at Philadelphia's Museum of the American Revolution displays an array of antique red, white and blue flags.
Designers are beginning to see this enigmatic form of folk art in a whole new light.