Not currently on display at the V&A

Poster advertising Bertram Mills Circus Olympia, 1927-1928, featuring Paul Leinert 'the Human Cannon Ball'

Poster
1927 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Bertram Mills produced his first Olympia circus at Christmas 1920, and his sons Bertram and Cyril took over the business after their father's death in 1938. Bertram Mills' produced some of their finest shows in the 1950s, but rising costs and a reluctance to increase ticket prices meant the closure in October 1964 of their tenting show that travelled the country during the summer months. Their 1965-1966 Christmas show was their last at London's Olympia.

Bertram Mills was always keen to produce some of the most colourful and attractive publicity for his circus. He produced a range of these unusually coloured posters printed by W.E. Berry for the 1927 to 1928 season advertising various individual acts appearing that season. This image of Paul Leinert being shot from a canon is superbly dramatic and eye-catching with a Vorticist-inspired simplicity and strength.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePoster advertising Bertram Mills Circus Olympia, 1927-1928, featuring Paul Leinert 'the Human Cannon Ball' (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Printed ink on paper
Brief description
Poster featuring Paul Leinert being shot from a cannon, advertising Bertram Mills Circus Olympia, 1927-1928. Printed by W.E. Berry.
Physical description
Pictorial and typographic poster advertising Bertram Mills Circus, Olympia, 1927 to 1928, printed in black on a luminous pink, green, yellow and orange gradated background, depicting Leinert being shot from a canon.
Dimensions
  • Poster height: 75.5cm
  • Poster width: 101.4cm
Object history
Associated Production: Bertram Mills' Circus. Performer: Leinert (man shot from a cannon). Olympia, Kensington, London. 21.12.1927-24.1.1928. Performance category: circus.
Summary
Bertram Mills produced his first Olympia circus at Christmas 1920, and his sons Bertram and Cyril took over the business after their father's death in 1938. Bertram Mills' produced some of their finest shows in the 1950s, but rising costs and a reluctance to increase ticket prices meant the closure in October 1964 of their tenting show that travelled the country during the summer months. Their 1965-1966 Christmas show was their last at London's Olympia.

Bertram Mills was always keen to produce some of the most colourful and attractive publicity for his circus. He produced a range of these unusually coloured posters printed by W.E. Berry for the 1927 to 1928 season advertising various individual acts appearing that season. This image of Paul Leinert being shot from a canon is superbly dramatic and eye-catching with a Vorticist-inspired simplicity and strength.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
S.118-1994

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Record createdJuly 23, 2010
Record URL
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