Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

May Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, May 6, 2026 11:00AM EDT
Lot 579

Silver Gelatin Photograph, Sideshow Performers with Ponies, Oklahoma City

Estimate: $200 - $300

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,500

Strong, graphic silver gelatin photograph measuring 7" x 9" depicting a group of circus or sideshow performers posed beneath an ornate decorative arch, with a photographer’s stamp on the verso reading “Photographed by Hale & Hatt, Oklahoma City.”

The image shows a staged troupe arranged on a small platform, including two clowns in full costume seated astride ponies at center, flanked by two male performers in fitted athletic attire. Additional figures include a female performer in a decorative dress at left, a woman in dark costume at right, and another clown holding a small parasol. Several small ponies are lined up across the platform, forming a symmetrical backdrop to the central figures. In the foreground, a seated woman in a checked coat and tall boots poses casually, adding a more informal, contemporary note to the otherwise theatrical arrangement.

The elaborate arch framing the group features painted panels with animal imagery, suggesting a traveling circus or carnival Utility poles and rigging visible in the background reinforce the temporary, outdoor fairground setting. The composition appears carefully arranged as a promotional or commemorative group portrait, combining performers, costumes, and animals into a unified display.

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