Potter & Potter Auctions
Live Auction

The Ricky Jay Collection Part III

Sat, Aug 17, 2024 12:00PM EDT
Lot 209

[FREAKS]. Group of 7 Pamphlets About Freaks. Including: “Ja...

Estimate: $500 - $700

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
[FREAKS]. Group of 7 Pamphlets About Freaks. Including: ?James Mandy The Man With the Iron Skull.? Biographical Sketch by Barry Gray.? [New York: Mercer Printing, n.d.]. 8vo. Portrait of Mandy on p. 1. [4 pp.] Folded sheet. Some wear, tears, soiling. Good. Mandy was a bodybuilder who was famous for being struck on the head with no apparent ill effects. And: ?Biographical Sketch of Serpentina The Serpent Lady.? [N.p., n.d.] 8vo. Illustrated with 4 photos of Serpentina. [4 pp.] Folded sheet. 2 horizontal creases, some rubbing, soiling. Good. Serpentina had no bones below her shoulders. And: ?Chinese Monster Big Feature Attraction A Whole-Show-in-Itself.? Richmond, Indiana: W. J. Cook, [n.d.] Illustrated with 3 photos of this sideshow attraction. [4 pp.] Folded sheet. This is an advertising leaflet for the ?Chinese Monster,? a hand-built dragon-like attraction supposedly dead but partially preserved by the ?African Method of Embalment.? Some rubbing, soiling, ink notes on p. [3]. Very good. And: ?Life of Miss Millie Lammar the Beautiful Ceylonesse Mind Reader Also an Expose of Second Sight Mysteries.? New York: Dick?s Popular Pub House, [n.d.] 8vo. With an illustration of areas on a hand for palm-reading. Unnumbered. Engraved publisher?s wrappers (worn, soiled, chipped, text toned, torn). A good example of this rare and fragile item. Lammar and Francis Morrissey had a mind reading act. And: ?History of the Legless Acrobat. A Phenomenon. [London: E. Arnold, n.d.]. 8vo. Illustrated with an image of Eli Bowen, the legless acrobat on p. [1]. [4 pp.] Folded sheet. Some wear, soiling, toning. Good. And: ??Krao,? A Living Specimen of Darwin?s Missing Link.? [London: The Royal Aquarium, n.d.] 8vo. 20 pp. Disbound loose sheets. Portions of original wrappers (heavily worn, chipped, text leaves worn). Fair. A booklet of yet another supposed ?missing link.? And: ?History of Miss Annie Jones Barnum?s Esau Lady.? New York: Popular Publishing Co., [n.d.] 8vo. Unnumbered. Original pink wrappers (sunned, worn, soiled, text toned worn). Good. An account of the life of Barnum?s famed Bearded Lady.