[Printed poster.] Wonders of Many Lands. Burton's "Old Curiosity Shop." The African Room. Savage and Civilized Products. Glimpses of the World.

Author: 
'A Californian Wanderer' [John Burton (1839-1907); Burton's 'Old Curiosity Shop', Falmouth, Cornwall]
Publication details: 
'Reprinted from The Cornishman, Thursday April 30th., 1891.' [Burton's 'Old Curiosity Shop', Falmouth, Cornwall]
£280.00
SKU: 13518

A native of Scotland, Burton set up a china business in Falmouth in 1862, but soon turned to the sale of unusual items from around the world, purchased from sailors, his shop acquiring an international reputation and royal patronage. Printed on one side of a piece of pink paper, 38 x 25.5cm. A frail survival, on aged and worn high-acidity paper, with loss and chipping to the margins, and a few closed tears, but with the text complete. The text is arranged in three columns of small type.It begins: 'What Barnum was to America and Jamrach is to London, Burton - the father of the famous Old Curiosity Shop is to Cornwall. If John Burton had taken it into his head to roam the world in search of hyenas[,] tattoed men, and bearded women, I am inclined to think that he would have given Phineas T. Barnum a twister over the struggle for the proprietorship of "The greatest show on earth."' Across the foot of the page: 'PROFESSOR DEWAR of the British Museum truly said after visiting the show (and making purchases) he had been all over the world in one hour and twenty minutes.'