Fine Freak Photography
With the advent of photography in the 19th century, people who displayed themselves
had a new and lucrative business selling these souvenirs to the public.
These photographs document the thousands of people who displayed themselves
as well as working acts with unusual talents.
had a new and lucrative business selling these souvenirs to the public.
These photographs document the thousands of people who displayed themselves
as well as working acts with unusual talents.
The Freak Museum archive holds over seven thousand cdv's, cabinet photos and other mounted photos.
Two Headed Baby
post mortum
mounted photo, American ca. 1890's
Mattie Lee Price
The Georgia Magnet
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Mattie Lee Price
The Georgia Magnet
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Skeleton Couple
cabinet photo, Obermuller and Son, NYC
Armless & Legless Man
He is wearing four prosthetic appliances
cabinet photo, Obermuller & Son, NYC
Cara Boner
Handless Woman
cabinet photo, Willis, Crawfordsville, Indiana
Capt. Annett
The Unluckiest Man Alive
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Unidentified Bearded Fat Lady
cabinet photo, Nye, Albert, Lewiston, Maine
Capt. Cooper
English Giant
cabinet photo, Baker, Columbus, Ohio
Capt. Cooper
English Giant, Facial Study
cabinet photo
Living Two Headed Cow
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Paul Crowley
Skeleton Boy
cabinet photo, Pentz, York, Pennsylvania
Hattie Johnson
Armless Dwarf
cabinet photo, Moerk, Atlantic City, NJ
Zulu Warriors
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Two Headed Calf
Taxidermy Mount
cabinet photo, Smith, Bristol, Vermont
Annie Jones
Bearded Lady showing her floor length hair
cabinet photo, Wendt, NYC
Annie Jones
Bearded Lady
cabinet photo, Obermuller and Kern, NYC
A. S. Daniels
Fat Man
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Frieda Montz
Circassian Sword Walker
cabinet photo, Wendt, NYC
John Craig and Wife Zola Ayers
Fat Man & Long Haired Lady Snake Charmer
cabinet photo, extensive biography hand written on back of card
Fedor Jeftichew
Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Beno, South Sea Islander
wife of South Sea Island Joe
cabinet photo, Obermuller and Kern, NYC
Lemily
American Japanese Juggler
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Chang
Chinese Giant, Facial Study
cabinet photo, British
Madame Yucca
The Lady Samson
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Clare Sisters
Fat Ladt and fat Lady Dwarf
cabinet photo, Fearnaught, Indianapolis
Bound Foot Chinese Women
cabinet photo, Wendt, NJ
The Great Lala Coolah
cabinet photo, Obermuller & Kern, NYC
African American Microcephalics
posed with orangutan
cabinet photo, Wendt, NJ
J. H. Price, Skin Shedder
cabinet photo
Emma Schaller
Skeleton Lady
cabinet photo, Wendt, NYC
Nicodemus Senjo
The Indescribable
cabinet photo, Obermuller & Son, NYC
South Sea Natives
probably Gilbert Islands
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
The Sacred Burmese Tattooed Bull
cabinet photo, biographical leaflet
The Georgia Magnet
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
The Georgia Magnet
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
cabinet photo, Obermuller and Son, NYC
He is wearing four prosthetic appliances
cabinet photo, Obermuller & Son, NYC
Handless Woman
cabinet photo, Willis, Crawfordsville, Indiana
The Unluckiest Man Alive
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
cabinet photo, Nye, Albert, Lewiston, Maine
English Giant
cabinet photo, Baker, Columbus, Ohio
English Giant, Facial Study
cabinet photo
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Skeleton Boy
cabinet photo, Pentz, York, Pennsylvania
Armless Dwarf
cabinet photo, Moerk, Atlantic City, NJ
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Taxidermy Mount
cabinet photo, Smith, Bristol, Vermont
Bearded Lady showing her floor length hair
cabinet photo, Wendt, NYC
Bearded Lady
cabinet photo, Obermuller and Kern, NYC
Fat Man
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Circassian Sword Walker
cabinet photo, Wendt, NYC
Fat Man & Long Haired Lady Snake Charmer
cabinet photo, extensive biography hand written on back of card
Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
wife of South Sea Island Joe
cabinet photo, Obermuller and Kern, NYC
American Japanese Juggler
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Chinese Giant, Facial Study
cabinet photo, British
The Lady Samson
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Fat Ladt and fat Lady Dwarf
cabinet photo, Fearnaught, Indianapolis
cabinet photo, Wendt, NJ
cabinet photo, Obermuller & Kern, NYC
posed with orangutan
cabinet photo, Wendt, NJ
cabinet photo
Skeleton Lady
cabinet photo, Wendt, NYC
The Indescribable
cabinet photo, Obermuller & Son, NYC
probably Gilbert Islands
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
cabinet photo, biographical leaflet
Microcephalic brother and sister
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Man & Woman Fish
cdv, American ca. 1880
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Transparent Man
cabinet photo, C. F. Billings, Kensett, Iowa
Fiji Jim, the Cannibal
cabinet photo, Weed, Detroit, Michigan
Fiji Annie, wife of Fiji Jim
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
This extraordinary photo shows Chang & Eng Bunker, their wives and children,
including the latest addition to the clan. Their most recent child is held by an African American nanny,
probably one of their former slaves.
cdv, Israel, Baltimore, Maryland
cabinet photo, probably Iowa
Circassian, Tight-rope and Juggler
cdv, Wood, NYC
Siamese Twins
cdv, Ocunobr
cabinet photos, Eisenmann, NYC
Fat Lady
cdv, Fearnaught, Indianapolis
Leopard or Spotted Family
cabinet photo, Wendt, NJ
Midget
cdv, Brown, Barnes & Bell, London
Elastic Skin Man
unusual diamond shaped mounted photo
cdv, E. & H. T. Anthony, NYC
cdv of a poster advertizing the couple while on European tour.
ca. 1896-1897
Camel Girl
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
The Kansas Giant
cabinet photo, Obermuller and Kern, NYC
Zulu Chief shown with torture board and snakes
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Tattooed Pain Proof Man
cabinet photo
cdv, Eisenmann, NYC
cdv, Wilkes, Baltimore
Tattooed Man
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
"Big Eliza" Fat Lady
cabinet photo
Elastic Skin Woman
cabinet photo, Pentz, York, PA.
"The African Pigmy Dwarf"
"Imported by William Cross, Naturalist, Liverpool"
The above is printed on back the cdv.
This person probably exhibited at
Cross' Menagerie and Museum, Earle Street, Liverpool.
Harry Williams
Half Man
cdv, R. Kenney, Valley City, D. T.
Harry Williams
Half Man
cabinet photo
Barnum's Collection of Curiosities
Original engraved by Waters & Son, New York.
Original printed by Thos. Mcllroy & Co., New York.
cdv, E. & H. T. Anthony, NYC
Human Curiosities at Barnum's Museum
cdv, E. & H. T. Anthony, NYC
"Imported by William Cross, Naturalist, Liverpool"
The above is printed on back the cdv.
This person probably exhibited at
Cross' Menagerie and Museum, Earle Street, Liverpool.
Half Man
cdv, R. Kenney, Valley City, D. T.
Half Man
cabinet photo
Original engraved by Waters & Son, New York.
Original printed by Thos. Mcllroy & Co., New York.
cdv, E. & H. T. Anthony, NYC
cdv, E. & H. T. Anthony, NYC
Tintype of the Jones Siamese Twins
George Stall, the Mexican Wildman
first year on exhibit
cabinet photo
George Stall, the Mexican Wildman
a few years later
cabinet photo, Wendt, NYC
George Stall, the Mexican Wildman
at the height of his career
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
Rubber stamp on back of Eisenmann photo
George Stall, the Mexican Wildman
part lion, part man
cabinet photo, Wendt, Boonton, NJ
C. Tach
The African Horned Man
cabinet photo, Weed, Detroit
Chick with Four Legs
CDV by Carnell, Waterloo, N. Y.
Photographic histories are a series of photos detailing a performers career. Some careers lasted only one season, others continued for decades. Histories are interesting because they document a performers development regarding costume, presentation, elaboration of act as well as their age. Freak Museum has built many histories of people who were exhibited. Below is an example of a photographic history.
Myrtle Corbin
The Four Legged Girl
More accurate information will be posted as available
age about 4 or 5 years
cdv, A. J. Allhands, Normal, probably Illinois
photographer's information is hard to read
probably taken in 1876
age about 6 or 7 years
cdv, Hull, Carbondale, Pa
age about 8 or 9 years
cdv, no photographer
age about 11 or 12
cdv, Applegate, Philidelphia
age about 12 or 13
cdv, no photographer
age 14
probably taken in 1885
cdv, Eisenmann, NYC
age 14
probably taken in 1885
cdv, Eisenmann, NYC
first year on exhibit
cabinet photo
a few years later
cabinet photo, Wendt, NYC
at the height of his career
cabinet photo, Eisenmann, NYC
part lion, part man
cabinet photo, Wendt, Boonton, NJ
The African Horned Man
cabinet photo, Weed, Detroit
CDV by Carnell, Waterloo, N. Y.
Photographic histories are a series of photos detailing a performers career. Some careers lasted only one season, others continued for decades. Histories are interesting because they document a performers development regarding costume, presentation, elaboration of act as well as their age. Freak Museum has built many histories of people who were exhibited. Below is an example of a photographic history.
Myrtle Corbin
The Four Legged Girl
More accurate information will be posted as available
cdv, A. J. Allhands, Normal, probably Illinois
photographer's information is hard to read
probably taken in 1876
cdv, Hull, Carbondale, Pa
cdv, no photographer
cdv, Applegate, Philidelphia
cdv, no photographer
probably taken in 1885
cdv, Eisenmann, NYC
probably taken in 1885
cdv, Eisenmann, NYC
cdv, Eisenmann (unmarked), NYC
cabinet photo, Rich's, Chicago
cabinet photo,Charles Eisenmann, NYC
cabinet photo, Wendt (unmarked), Boonton, NJ
real photo postcard, dated Coney Island 1923
The negative from the earlier photo was reused
Life and career histories are carefully researched and assembled to support the photographs and artifacts in the collection.
Below is an example; what follows is a excerpt from Myrtle Corbin’s file.
1873 with Great Eastern Circus
1874 Myrtle's father took her to California, authorities closed the exhibition
1875 Possibly exhibited in Charleston, South Carolina
1879 With Cooper & Bailey’s Great London Shows
1882 With P. T. Barnum’s Circus
1883 With P. T. Barnum’s Circus
1885 With Col. George H. Wood’s Congress, appearing at Drew’s Museum, Cleveland; Brandenburg’s Ninth & Arch St. Museum, Philadelphia; Jacob & Proctor’s Museum, Albany; Austin & Stone’s Museum, Boston; Kohl & Middleton's West Side Museum, Chicago; Globe Museum, New York City, Myrtle's first museum appearance in NYC; Sackett & Wiggins' Dime Museum, St. Paul.
1886 Sackett & Wiggins' Dime Museum, Minneapolis; Sackett & Wiggins' St. Paul Dime Museum; Harris’ Museums in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh; Doris’ Museum, New York City.
1890 Doris’ Museum Eighth Avenue Museum, New York City; Kohl & Middleton’s St. Paul Museum and Kohl & Middleton’s Museum, Cincinnati; Wonderland Museum and Theater, Buffalo; World's Museum, Allegheny City [since 1907 part of Pittsburgh], Pennsylvania.
1891 Probably at home, not working
1892 Kohl & Middleton’s Museum, Cincinnati; World's Museum, Allegheny City [since 1907 part of Pittsburgh], Pennsylvania; Grand Street Museum, New York City; spends most of the season at Huber’s Palace Museum, New York City.
1893 Doris’ Museum, New York City.
1894 Coney Island, New York, possibly as a single attraction; Huber’s Museum, New York City.
1895 Huber’s Museum, New York City.
1896 Huber’s Museum, New York City.
1897-98 Probably at home, not working.
1899 Wonderland Musee, Buffalo; Huber’s Museum, New York City.
1903 Pawnee Bill's Show.
1906 Huber’s Museum, New York City; Austin & Stone’s Museum, Boston.
1909 Electric Park, Kansas City, Missouri; Austin & Stone’s Museum, Boston; Huber’s Museum, New York City; Ninth & Arch Street Museum, Philadelphia.
1912 Dreamland Circus Sideshow, Coney Island, New York.
1913 Al G. Barnes Circus sideshow.
1914 Riverview Park, Chicago; World at Home Shows.
1915 S. W. Brundage Shows.
1916 C. H. Armstrong’s Traveling Museum.
1918 Huber’s Museum, Coney Island, New York.
1922-23 World’s Circus Sideshow, Coney Island, New York.
1928 Myrtle dies May 6.
Please come back, more to come as time permits.
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