Beschreibung:

Lot of 10 real photo postcards showing various day-to-day duties and activities of employees of the Sells-Floto Circus & Buffalo Bill's Wild West, as well as the rough conditions and incidents they experienced while setting up and tearing down the shows, ca 1914-1915. Five RPPCs capture the aftermath of an incident involving the derailment of several cars used in the show. One of the cars is covered in canvas that is marked Pikes Peak or bust, and an additional car shown on its side reveals a Sells-Floto / Buffalo Bill advertisement. Employees of the show can be seen posing near or on top of the derailed cars. Also included are 2 RPPCs that document a heavy rain, which caused flooding near the tents, as well as views captioned as Wagon raising entire tent at once and Spreading Canvas with horses. A final RPPC provides a distant view of the employees taking a break to eat. Always short on funds, in 1913 Cody accepted a loan from Denver businessman Harry Tammen under somewhat questionable circumstances. Apparently he did not realize that the loan made him an employee (featured act) of the Sells-Floto Circus. When he fell behind on payments, Tammen seized the show and a glorious career came to an end. By some accounts, Cody was attempting to organize a new show while at his sister's house in Colorado in 1917, but he died there before realizing his ambition. Many have suggested that he died of a broken heart after losing his beloved Wild West show. Provenance: Descended directly in the family of William F. Buffalo Bill Cody Condition: Few areas of light soiling or smudging; otherwise very good condition.