This bright and colourful vintage circus poster was produced to advertise an acrobatic circus act The 7 Gaynells, The poster features the cycling skills of a family act known as the 7 Gaynells. The acrobatic cycling team consisted of five men and two women who for the main part of their act would perform on the ‘wall of death’ on cycles! The team were billed as The 7 Wild Wheel Whirl Wonders. The poster itself describes the act in greater detail. It reads: The 7 Gaynells in furiously exciting races between from two to seven riders on an open fence track only 5 feet high and 20 feet in diameter pitched at an acute angle of 70°. The vintage circus poster also offers ‘Marvelous Trick & Fancy Riding’.
This wonderful 7 Gaynells poster was produced by The Strobridge Lithographing Company who were makers of advertising posters, maps and lithographs, especially for circuses and theatres.
In 1896, two of the largest circuses in America combined to create the Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Circus. It was a combination of two circuses owned by Philadelphian born, Adam Forepaugh and two brothers from Ohio, Lewis and Peter Sells.
The Sells Brothers circus was started in 1862 and was formally known by the catchy name, The Sells Brothers Quadruple Alliance, Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus, (good luck with that fitting on your posters!). The Sells Bros circus was based out of Columbus, Ohio and toured regularly between 1872 and 1895. In the 1880s the Sells Brothers circus had become one of the largest and most successful circuses in the country.
Before being involved in the circus Forepaugh ran a successful horse-trading business. He made his fortune selling horses to the US Government during the American Civil War. In 1864, as payment for an unpaid $9,000 debt, Forepaugh became part owner in the Tom King Excelsior circus. Following the merging of several other circuses and menageries, he changed, what had become the Dan Rice Circus, in his own name. In fact, between 1865 and 1890 his circus operated under many names including Forepaugh’s Circus, Forepaugh’s Gigantic Circus and Menagerie, The Forepaugh Show, 4-PAW Show, The Adam Forepaugh Circus, and Forepaugh & The Wild West. In the 1870s and 1880s Forepaugh had one of the two largest circuses in America, the other belonging to PT Barnum. At the time, the Forepaugh circus employed around 400 performers and workmen and put on performances on at least 250 days of the years of the year. It turned out that the circus life was a lucrative business with Forepaugh’s annual average profit exceeding $300,000.
In 1889, the two circuses to form the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers Circus. The circus operated until 1905 when it was purchased by the Ringling Brothers Circus.
The Wall of Death as the 7 Gaynells act is now known, was an extremely popular carnival sideshow at fun-fairs and circuses. The idea is derived from the board tracks used in American Motodrome racing in the early 1900s. The first carnival motordrome is thought to be one at Coney Island in 1911, with portable versions appearing in travelling carnivals the following year. No one is quite sure when or why the vertical walls appeared but by 1915 they had made an impact.
In an online article on the Sheffield AC UK website explains ‘… evidence suggests that the wall existed in the United States of America in the early 1900s with reports having been made of bicycles being used as early as 1908. There is even a suggestion made before 1900 of using bicycles on a type of Wall of Death, not for entertainment but for exercise! The site continues ‘The earliest reference of the Wall of Death is the United States in 1928, it having arrived from the United States via Europe’.
After a thorough search of the internet I can find no earlier references on the subject of The Wall of Death. This would suggest that this Forepaugh & Sells 7 Gaynells poster from around 1902 is the earliest poster to portray an image of the Wall of Death.
If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to decorate your home or gym? Check out our vintage cycling posters! These posters are perfect for anyone who loves to cycle, or just wants to add a bit of vintage flair to their space. This poster is sure to get you moving!
Our posters are carefully and professionally created from vintage originals. Whilst great care is taken in the production of these posters, we also try to maintain a vintage feel, so there may be small imperfections, fold marks, scuffs, tears, or marks that were part of the original poster master. If these do appear they should be visible on the larger views of the item on this listing. The originals of many of the posters we offer can cost many thousands of pounds, so whilst these posters look great, especially framed and mounted on a wall, they are intended as fun, affordable reproductions and not intended fine art prints.
The 50x70cm version has been specially produced to be used in conjunction with Ikea’s 50x70cm Ribba picture frame which currently retails for around £15. So you can bag a bargain of print and frame for a great price.
These digitally enhanced posters are professionally printed with fade-resistant inks onto a thick 300gsm silk poster card.
A4 posters are printed on to 300gsm silk artboard
A3, A2 and 50x70cm posters are printed on to 230gsm poster paper
All posters are despatched by 2nd class Royal Mail. Posters are posted in either a hard-backed envelope clearly marked ‘Do Not Bend’ or a sturdy postal tube.
This listing is for prints only, frames shown in any photos are not included in the sale.
