Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

March 2026 Unreserved Photo Auction — Curiosities, Performers & Vernacular Photography

Sat, Mar 28, 2026 01:00PM EDT
  2026-03-28 13:00:00 2026-03-28 13:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : March 2026 Unreserved Photo Auction — Curiosities, Performers & Vernacular Photography https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/march-2026-unreserved-photo-auction-curiosities-performers-vernacular-photography-22648
Our March 2026 auction presents a wide selection of historical photographs, postcards, entertainment memorabilia, and visual curiosities spanning the mid-nineteenth through twentieth centuries. Every lot is offered completely without reserve, ensuring that each item sells to the highest bidder regardless of price. Combined purchases totaling $500 or more qualify for free shipping, providing collectors an added incentive to bid across multiple lots. The unreserved format creates opportunities for both new and experienced collectors to acquire unusual and historically interesting material.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 280

General Tom Thumb with Carriage Stereoview

Estimate: $50 - $400
Starting Bid
$10

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
Albumen stereoview depicting a miniature carriage designed for General Tom Thumb (Charles Sherwood Stratton), the world-famous little-man entertainer made famous by P.T. Barnum. The image shows two uniformed attendants and a small coach elevated on wheels, with the diminutive performer seated prominently on or beside the carriage. The scale of the carriage is clearly proportioned to its occupant.

Mounted on a green stereocard; verso bears faint pencil notation identifying the subject and approximate mid-19th-century origin. No printed publisher imprint is visible. The elaborate toy-coach form closely matches documented English performance carriages used by Tom Thumb on European tours.

Charles Sherwood Stratton, known professionally as General Tom Thumb, was one of the most celebrated little-man performers of the Victorian era. The coach in this view reflects his custom carriages that toured with him and were featured in parades and public appearances, making this a rare early performance imagery example tied to his global celebrity.

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Spend $500 or more at our auction and all of your SHIPPING IS FREE, buyers to pay insurance if they want it.