Under the Big Top

Yes, it's a tent dealer sale today under the Big Top, but I'm just window-shopping as the prices are just as BIG. These two 4 foot tall, handcarved wood blocks of a circus scene c. 1930s-40s caught my eye here. They are unusually nice and rarely do you find such beautiful wood print blocks as these for sale unless they go up for auction. They really belong in a printing museum rather than on someone's wall. The primary and secondary plates intended for a two-color letterpress poster are originally from the Neal Walters Poster Company in Bentonville, Arkansas. Predictably, the wonderful circus scene of animals, arial artists and circus clowns surrounding the nice type layout is unsigned, but both blocks appear to be in nice condition. "150 Circus Artists and Performers From All Parts of The World. Double Giant Menagerie From Five Continents. 5000 Seats 500,000 Invested." The only thing more frightening than the clowns is the price of $5500 for the matching set. Window-shopping is always free here. View the flipped images of these two enormous woodcut blocks at bottom of post.