Antique 1870s Grand Combination Panjandrum & Jarley’s Wax Works Theatrical Performance Handbill – Victorian Entertainment Broadside
$375.00
Original period item
- Type
- Document · Advertising
- Subjects
- Animals, Advertising
- Era
- 1870s
Original antique 1870s Victorian-era theatrical handbill advertising the Grand Combination Panjandrum and Jarley’s Wax Works, a humorous stage entertainment featuring a combination of theatrical performances, historical characters, literary references, and a grand finale performed by the entire troupe. This fascinating piece of 19th-century entertainment history features bold Victorian typography, decorative lettering, and whimsical illustrations. The handbill promotes “The Great Jarley Combination—100 Original Artists” and boasts elaborate costumes, a cast of celebrated performers, and an extravagant production. The printed program is divided into two parts: Part I – Jarley’s Wax Works Features eight humorous tableaux and character presentations, including: 1. Caesar dying at the base of Pompey’s statue 2. Sam Weller and Mary the Housemaid 3. Bruce and the Spider 4. Cleopatra and the Asp 5. Nero Fiddling While Rome Was Burning (advertised “with real Fire”) 6. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Sprat 7. Gaily, the Troubadour 8. Esmeralda Part II – Grand Combination Charade The program concludes with a “Grand Combination Charade” performed by the entire troupe. Additional entertaining details include the claim that 750,623 people had visited Jarley’s Wax Works, references to crowned heads of both hemispheres, and the amusing instruction: “The Audience is respectfully requested not to laugh during the Performance.” The handbill concludes with the announcement, “NO SEATS RESERVED AFTER EIGHT O’CLOCK.” Condition: Original antique paper handbill exhibiting age-related toning, visible horizontal and vertical fold lines, creasing, and general wear consistent with its age. The piece retains strong, legible printing and attractive period typography. It is shown mounted or displayed within a surrounding mat. Please examine the photograph carefully for condition details. Historical Significance: Jarley’s Wax Works was a popular form of Victorian comic entertainment inspired by Mrs. Jarley, the fictional waxwork proprietor in Charles Dickens’s The Old Curiosity Shop. Amateur theatrical groups, churches, and community organizations frequently staged humorous waxwork exhibitions featuring performers posing as historical, literary, and fictional figures. This unusual surviving handbill offers a charming glimpse into 19th-century theatrical humor, popular entertainment, and Victorian advertising. An appealing collectible for enthusiasts of antique theater memorabilia, Victorian ephemera, Charles Dickens, historical broadsides, and early American or British entertainment history. Date: Circa 1870s (attributed; no date visible in the photographed portion) Format: Original printed theatrical handbill / entertainment broadside Subject: Victorian theatrical entertainment, Jarley’s Wax Works, Panjandrum, and comic performance Era: 19th century, Victorian period Ships in non-glass frame.
