Bandwagon, December 1957

Bandwagon, Vol. 1, No. 6 (Dec), 1957. Note: Only some articles are included in this online edition. Illustrations are not included. The Circus Historical Society does not guarantee the accuracy of information contained in the information in these online articles. Information should always be checked with additional sources.

Circus Wagon History File

Elephant Tableau Wagon, Al G. Barnes Circus, About 1922

This is the second in our series of three articles dealing with tableau wagons featuring elephant carvings. The illustration shows the Al G. Barnes Elephant Tableau wagon in parade about 1922. Clowns are riding the wagon. I wish that a better photo could have been used but this was the best shot I have ever seen of this particular wagon, although I'm sure better shots must exist somewhere.

We commonly call this wagon the "Al G. Barnes Elephant Tableau". It was built in the Al G. Barnes winter quarters in Venice, California in the winter of 1920-21 and first appeared on the Barnes show in the 1921 season. The Bode Wagon Works furnished the carvings for this and other Barnes wagons about the some time, but the actual construction of the wagon and the placing on of the carvings was done by the Barnes blacksmith and woodworking crew.

The wagon served on the Barnes show for the 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1924 seasons for sure and possibly longer. The Barnes show quit parading in mid-season 1924, the last parade being given July 14, at Denver. No parades were given in 1925 and following years, however the steam calliope was carried in 1925 and some claim they saw it on the show as late as 1928, and also the air calliope and some tableaux were carried in later years. Therefore there is a possibility that the wagon may have been carried in the years 1925-28, but I have not seen it in any photos of the show in those years. I have good coverage of the 1928 show in photos and the wagon is not present. It is my opinion, and only an opinion, but 1924 may well have been the last year on the show for the wagon.

After Al G. Barnes quit parading the wagon now becomes "lost" until the elephant carving only shows up some 15 years later. Several old Barnes parade wagons remained for years and years at the old Venice quarters. Jimmy Woods had some at his lot in Venice as late as 1953 when it was sold and the wagons scattered, some being destroyed, others preserved at other locations to this day. The elephant carving off this tableau wagon was recovered from the Woods lot about 1939 and placed on the entrance gate to the World Jungle Compound at Thousand Oaks, California, near Los Angeles. This place has recently become known as "Jungleland", and the carving is still there. What happened to the rest of the carvings and the wagon itself is not known to this writer but can be safely assumed that they rotted away or were discarded at the Venice lot.

I am beginning to get some very helpful information from various fans and historians on some of the wagons we have discussed recently. One extremely valuable comment comes from W. H. Woodcock, noted elephant trainer and fellow CHS member. Woodcock also is the leading circus wagon historian in the country and I accept always his findings as being positive fact. Woodcock says that the Sells-Floto Elephant Tableau discussed in the November issue was carried on the road by Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus in the 30's for several seasons during the time the show did not parade. The wagon was used as on elephant trapping wagon by Cheerful Garner. It was placed inside the menagerie, and the wonderful trapping and wardrobe man, Freddie Wells, kept the tableau as near immaculate as is possible with a circus. The wagon really fitted in good and looked like a circus sitting at the end of the elephant line. The wagon was there in 1935 and 1937 and the fact that it was kept inside the menagerie tent may be the reason why it shows up in very few photos of the show those years.

Woodcock further brought to my attention that the photo of the huge Lion Tableau wagon shown in the Sept.-Oct. issue was actually taken on the Martin Downs Cole Bros. Circus rather than on the Kit Carson Buffalo Ranch Wild West Show. The late A. Morton Smith who owned the negative had erroneously listed it as Kit Carson. Woodcock states that when the wagon got to the Kit Carson show a straight sun board at the top of the wagon replaced the small ornamental "risers" on the seat ends. I have a photo showing the wagon on Kit Carson Show in 1914 with the new type sunboard he mentions but had assumed the change had been made possibly between 1913 and 1914 season.

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Lewis B. Lent

Bandwagon, Vol. 1, No. 6 (Dec), 1957, p. 9.

Lewis B. Lent

Lewis B. Lent - Was, during the first half of the season of 1834, agent with June, Titus & Angevine's Menageries, and in August of that year he purchased an interest in I. R. & W. Howe's Menageries, considered one of the best in the country. From 1835 to 1838, inclusive, he was a co-partner of Brown & Lent's Circus, traveling by steamboat on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and exhibiting chiefly in New Orleans, La., Natchez, Miss., St. Louis, Mo., Louisville, Ky., Cincinnati, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pa. From 1839 to 1842, inclusive, he became again associated with June, Titus & Angevine's Menageries and Circuses. In 1843 he become a partner in and manager of Rufus Welch's National Circus, and the following year was co-partner of Sands & Lent's American Circus, exhibiting in England. Returning to America in 1845, he became again a partner in and manager of Rufus Welch's National Circus. During the next three years he was co-partner and manager in three distinct shows, all newly fitted out - Van Amburgh's Menagerie, Sands, Lent & Co.'s American Circus, and June, Titus & Angevine's Menageries and Circus. The season of 1849 he passed in California. The following two years he was again a partner and manager of Rufus Welch's National Circus. In 1852 and 1853 he was partner with Seth B. Howes and P. T. Barnum, and manager of P. T. Barnum's American Museum and Menagerie, exhibiting among other curiosities, General Tom Thumb and ten elephants. During the next three years he was partner with Rufus Welch in the National Theatre and Circus, Philadelphia, Pa. The show was announced as Welch's National Circus and L. B. Lent's New York Circus combined. Welch's wagons were painted with vermilion and Lent's Ultra-marine blue. From 1857 to 1863, inclusive, he managed L. B. Lent's National Circus. The next three years he was the proprietor and manager of the Equescurriculum, New York Circus, Grizzly Adam's Bears, Ducrow's Trained Bull, Hurdle Buffalo and Troupe of Trained Dogs, Ponies and Monkeys. From 1865 to 1872, inclusive, in the Fall and Winter he managed the New York Circus, in the Hippotheatron, New York City. In 1873 and 1874 he managed the New York Circus, Museum Circus Menagerie. In 1875 he was the railroad-agent of Howes & Cushing's Circus and Menagerie, and the succeeding year he held a like position with J. M. French's Circus and Menagerie. In 1878 he was the managing and railroad-agent of Van Amburgh & Co.'s Menagerie. In 1879 advance director for Adam Forepaugh, and at the end of the season revived the New York Circus at the Globe Theatre, New York. Died, New York, Nov. 29, 1887.

(This biography was condensed from material written for the New York Clipper by Charles H. Day. Furnished by Fred D. Pfening, Jr.)

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