1871 James Robinson's Great Circus Champion Show Detroit Advertisement

Description

Up for sale is this advertisement from the Detroit Tribune of May 10, 1871, for the James Robinson Great Circus and Championship Show. This advertisement, if framed down to size, measures 2" by 6 3/8". The overall size of the paper is around 5 1/2" by 8". There is a slit on one of the paper folds that is also within the area that is the advertisement. That is about 2/3rds of the way down above "And his great troupe."
From the quote below it is apparent that this is the first year. Also, after a disastrous season in 1872, they sold out the show. So this show, "James Robinson Great Circus and Championship Show" only ran for one year. That  makes this advertisement all the rarer given the short life of this show. Here is a quote that was arranged and edited by Dr. William Slout, a friend and mentor.
"For 1871, Robinson went into partnership with his fellow-rider Frank Pastor. The company was titled “James Robinson’s Champion Show.” It was a rail-mounted effort, had two small elephants and eight cages of other animals. Though they advertised that they did not pretend to give a gorgeous street procession, as most small railers advised, we have found that they did parade in Detroit, and perhaps in other larger venues. Since they had purchased one of the well-known Golden Horse bandwagons from Avery Smith, it seems logical that they would use it in a street display. Fred Dahlinger discovered that the company transported this vehicle in a stock car, rather than on a flat."
Stuart Thayer,
American Circus Anthology, Essays of the Early Years
, arranged and edited by William L. Slout.
Please e-mail with any questions.
Kevin