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Page 12 The Antique Shoppe April, 2020
SCHOENHUT’S HUMPTY DUMPTY TOY CIRCUS

Were The Greatest Toys on Earth!

BY LARRY LEMASTERS
LeMasters’ Antique News Service
By the turn of the 20th century, 1900, an estimated 30 circus companies in a dazzling tutu, the animal trainer wore a bright
toured America, many by train and wagon. Entire towns shut down when purple jacket, and the clowns’ garments were adorned
the circuses, such as Ringling Brothers or P. T. Barnum came to town, giving with stripes, dots, and zigzags. The ringmaster looked
both children and adults the opportunity to “go to the circus” and see “the dapper in a red coat, a black top hat, and a pair of well-
greatest show on earth.” polished riding boots. The line also included an array of
It seems that all little boys dream of running animals such as a tiger, a lion, an elephant, an ostrich,
away and joining the circus, and A. Schoenhut and a buffalo. All of the animals had glass
of Philadelphia was living proof that some little 1907 Circus elephant, in eyes and moveable joints.”
boys never grow up. In 1903, Schoenhut, a noted restorable condition offered The company also produced a line
on eBay for $890.
toy maker, decided to capitalize on the popularity of circus props, including wooden
of circuses by designing and producing his most Schoenhut Arabian camel, ladders and chairs, circular metal cages,
stupendous toy, a miniature circus and line of Humpty Dumpty Circus, which, pedestals, and circus wagons. One of
in restorable condition, is
circus performers that he named the Humpty valued at $500. Schoenhut’s largest circus pieces was
Dumpty Circus. the lithographed three-dimensional
Albert Frederick Schoenhut, German canvas big top (tent) that the company
immigrant and woodcarver, founded offered. The tent’s backdrop showed an
the Schoenhut Piano Company in excited audience watching a group of
1872, making toy pianos. In 1897, performers.
the company name was changed to A. Shoenhut Humpty Dumpty Circus
Schoenhut Company, and Schoenhut pieces are expensive to collect. Recently,
expanded the company by introducing on eBay, an Arabian Schoenhut camel,
other toy musical instruments. circa 1912, was offered for $500. This
Eventually he saw the fun and profits wooden camel had glass eyes, a woven
in making toys, and he expanded his ↑Humpty Dumpty Circus tiger with stool ↑Humpty Dumpty Circus monkey and tail, and leather ears. It was in rough,
business to include toy dolls, play that is valued at $250. accessories, circa 1905, valued at $600. but restorable condition, making it an
sets, and games, and by the time of Hard to find, Schoenhut Humpty Dumpty Circus wooden box. expensive collectible, especially when it
This antique box was offered on eBay for $900.↓
Schoenhut’s death in 1912, he was is just a single animal and a collector’s
known as the “King of Toy Makers” goal is to own a circus.
and his company had become the Another popular Schoenhut
largest toy manufacturer in America, collectible animal is the Humpty
employing over 400 workers. One of his most Dumpty Circus elephant. Schoenhut’s earliest
inventive and dazzling toys was his Humpty elephant has always been sought after as his
Dumpty Circus. most decorative animal. It has painted leather
The Humpty Dumpty Circus literally made tusks and ears, and its back is covered with
Schoenhut’s fortune, but his acquisition of the an exotically colorful howdah blanket that
toy line is interesting. Toy historians more or is edged with metallic braid. Like most of
less agree that in 1902, a German immigrant, Schoenhut’s circus animals, the elephant had
Fritz Meinecke, walked into Schoenhut’s office joints strung with elastic bands, so the elephant
with a prototype of a jointed toy circus clown could be posed in different positions, imitating
that he had just patented. Meinecke wanted to actual circus elephants.
sell the toy and its patent rights to Schoenhut In January 2020, a rare 1910 Humpty
for $100, but Schoenhut suggested that Meinecke accept royalties Dumpty Circus “Big Top” tent, decorated with 21 original flags, with
instead, which would make him a far richer man. Meinecke refused, seven performers, circus animals that included an elephant and horse,
so Schoenhut paid him the sum of $100 for the clown and its and lots of accessory items sold at Proxibid internet auction site
patent. for $6,000, proving that the love for Schoenhut circuses only
After forming his Humpty Dumpty Circus, grows stronger as the years pass.
Schoenhut’s first circus toy was a jointed clown, based Collectors set up entire circus displays or dioramas
on Meinecke’s design, with a chair and ladder. using Schoenhut’s Humpty Dumpty Circus
This was sold as a three-piece set. The set sold while other collectors simply add pieces of
well, and Schoenhut kept adding pieces the Humpty Dumpty Circus to their circus
to it. Eventually, the standard version collections.
of Schoenhut’s Humpty Dumpty Circus Schoenhut manufactured the Humpty
included ten performers, thirty exotically Dumpty Circus from 1903 until 1935 when
different animals, and a large group of circus the Great Depression bankrupted the com-
props; however the Humpty Dumpty Circus pany, forcing it to close its doors. Today,
was sold in small or large boxed sets and as though, the excitement of the big top can
individual pieces. still be felt as collectors set up their three-
Schoenhut’s Humpty Dumpty Circus line ring circus and the ring master (in red coat,
of toys included “musicians with miniature black top hat, and shining boots) looks out
instruments, lady circus riders, animal trainers, at the audience and says, “Ladies and gentle-
acrobats, ringmasters, and clowns. The circus men, boys and girls, and children of all ages,
performers’ wardrobes presented an array the circus is about to begin!”
of vibrant colors. One acrobat was dressed Humpty Dumpty “Big Top” Circus tent with performers, animals, and accessories
that sold at auction in January 2020 for $6,000.