
Morgan Martin
Head of Department
Sold for US$510 inc. premium
Our American Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistHead of Department
Specialist, Head of Sale
Provenance
Spanierman Gallery, New York.
Acquired from the above by the present owner.
Literature
J. Myers, Artist in Manhattan, 1940, New York, pp. xi, 151, illustrated.
J. Myers, Pictorial Section from Artist in Manhattan, 1940, New York, p. 151, illustrated.
The present work depicts a barker gathering a crowd of spectators outside of The Hippodrome Theatre in New York for what appears to be a circus performance. The Hippodrome Theatre operated from 1905 to 1939 on 6th Avenue between West 43rd and 44th streets and at the time was considered the world's largest theatre with a seating capacity of 5,300. The builders Frederic Williams Thompson (1873-1919) and Elmer "Skip" Dundy (1862-1907) also designed Luna Park at Coney Island, had innovative theatrical technology installed at the Hippodrome, including a rising glass water tank. The Hippodrome Theatre played host to numerous circuses, musical revues, vaudeville performances, silent movie, and even Harry Houdini's (1874-1926) disappearing elephant.