A freak show is an exhibition of
biological rarities, referred to as "freaks of nature". Typical
features would be physically unusual humans, such as those uncommonly large or
small, those with both male and female secondary sexual characteristics, people
with other extraordinary diseases and conditions, and performances that are
expected to be shocking to the viewers. Heavily tattooed or pierced people have
sometimes been seen in freak shows, as have attention-getting physical
performers such as fire-eating and sword-swallowing acts.
In 1851 the development
of the "set-plate" technique enabled photographers to make many
prints from one exposure. Human oddities would have carefully posed photos
taken and often order thousands of reproductions. They would sometimes write
about themselves on the back of the card bragging about their physical
attributes or talents. These "carte de visites" were widely collected
by Americans and made quite a bit of money for the "freaks" and the owners
of freak shows.
Freaks were often perceived as
apprehensive, docile and unhappy with their lot in life. In many cases during
the Victorian era, nothing could be further from the truth. Many defended
themselves against their managers, talking back and demanding raises. As
early as 1851, it had become popular to sell trading cards of popular freaks
throughout England and the US. Profits from these images went straight into the
pockets of the performers themselves, as opposed to the showmen.
Isaac W.
Sprague, the American Human Skeleton, had one of the most successful trading
cards. At 5’6”, Sprague weighed only 43 pounds. As he toured with Barnum in the
1860s, he made a good sum of money off of the sale returns from the card. Some
of the more willing performers, like Sprague, even penned their own biographies
to be published in freak show pamphlets.
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