Customer Reviews

Wild, Weird, and Wonderful: The American Circus 1901-1927 as seen by F. W. Glasier, Photographer

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Professional portrait photographer Fred Whitman Glasier maintained a studio in Brockton, Massachusetts. Glasier never traveled with a circus, but he did document every show that came through his neck of the woods during the first quarter of the twentieth century. Glasier became acquainted with many famous showmen, and provided promotional photographs for both the circuses and individual performers. Glasier's work evokes a relaxed elegance missing from the work of many previous photographers, and for that reason he is now considered among the finest circus photographers of all time.

Glasier's original glass plate negatives have been beautifully reprinted in this volume, allowing one to see the scope of his circus work, and occasionally gain an insight into his working methods when notes and cropping marks have been preserved. As a document of the traveling circus at a particular point in time, this book is unrivaled.

Circus historian Timothy Tegge provides a brief foreword discussing the origins of the American circus. Author Mark Sloan provides background information on the people and places depicted in Glasier's beautiful photographs.

Simply wonderful photographs helping the mind to call up mental pictures of a colorful and exciting era in our history.

This is a nice book. I gave two as gifts and am pleased with mine (as are my two gift recipients).