Potter & Potter Auctions
Live Auction

The Ricky Jay Collection Part III

Sat, Aug 17, 2024 12:00PM EDT
Lot 6

[ACROBATICS]. The Famous Polander … at Sadler’s Wells. [Lon...

Estimate: $500 - $1,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$30 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
[ACROBATICS]. The Famous Polander ? at Sadler?s Wells. [London], ca. 1775. Fine hand-colored etching with twenty-four vignettes of the acrobat presenting a host of incredible feats all while balanced on his head: climbing up a tight rope using a mechanical device, shooting the flames from candles with a pistol, riding on a horse with chairs balanced on his feet, disassembling a ladder while balanced atop it, and many other stunts. 13 x 19 ??. Uniformly toned with old central fold mended at verso. A handsome and early print. According to John C. Greene in The Theatre in Belfast 1736-1800 and the Theatre in Dublin 1745- 1820, The Polander was one Sieur Potowskie, famous for a balance on an 11-foot-tall ladder who appeared in both cities in 1774.