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Harrison Sayre Circus Collection, 1863-2001, Date acquired: 00/00/2010, bulk 1949-1994

 

Summary

Abstract:
Materials about circuses, circus performers, and circus industry from all over the world, mainly North and South America and Europe. Includes photographs, books, posters, flyers, pamphlets, circus programs, and related materials dating primarily from the 1940s-1990s..
Extent:
34.75 Linear Feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], Harrison Sayre Circus Collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. https://purl.lib.fsu.edu/fa/MSS-2010-007

Background

Scope and content:

The Harrison Sayre Circus Collection contains approximately 8,000 photographs, including 8" x 10" autographs, snapshots, slides and negatives, as well as circus programs, posters and other circus memorabilia collected from circuses attended mostly in the mid-Atlantic region during the second half of the 20th century. As a collection, many of the photographs offer a comprehensive study of circus performer costume design and production style.

Select materials from the Sayre Collection have been digitized and are available through the FSU Digital Library.

Biographical / historical:

While on the surface a quiet, reserved Navy veteran from New England, Harrison Sayre (1913-2005) also had an alter ego that loved the spectacle of the Big Top. For nearly all of his adult life, Sayre visited the circus whenever he could and fastidiously photographed and collected artifacts of all that he experienced. As a member of the Circus Fans of America, he traveled to see circuses in places as far away as Australia, Russia and Hawaii.

Acquisition information:
Carol Perfit gift.
Appraisal information:

The collection has been appraised, see donor file for details.

Custodial history:

Collection was created by Harrison Sayre. After Mr. Sayre's death the collection was donated by his daughter, Carol Sayre Perfit, to the Florida State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives division, in 2010.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], Harrison Sayre Circus Collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. https://purl.lib.fsu.edu/fa/MSS-2010-007