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Limbless

Missing limbs through accident, or birth, they learn to walk on hands, roll cigarettes using only their mouths, displaying calligraphic precision with feet. They entertain us with their skills in making what’s missing less important than what’s there. Most incredible are the Human Torsos, or Half-Boys & Half-Girls, those without either arms or legs.

Performers in this category:

Ryan “The Handless Penman”

Rose Foster

Alfred Pilgrim

Bea Griffin

Frances O’Connor

John T. Owens

Baneeta West

Nicolai Vassilivich Kobelkoff

Johann Kleyser (also John)

Eddie Kissell

William Kingston

Oguri Kiba (Miss Oguri)

Willy Kaak

Tommy Jacobsen

Dick Hilburn

Miss Hawton “Without Arms”

Eddie Gifford “One-Legged Virtuoso Cyclist”

Alvina Gibbs

Thomas Gay

Gazay

Andrew A. Gawley

Frank E. Fithen

Jesse Ferry

Charles Francois Felu

Beulah Fawcett

Stephan Farffler

Miss Eva Eversole

James Elroy

Egoes “The Incomparable”

Kenny Easterday

Cesar Ducornet

Sis Cook

Frank Coleman

Bill Cole

John Chambers

Cazotte

Louise Capps

Camilla

Nathan Bunowy

Lorita Buford

Mathew Buchinger

Warrimeh Boseth

Sarah Biffin

Lewando Baldwin

Charles Tripp

Cipriano Maghanoy

Paul Desmuke

Frieda Pushnik

Rosa Lee

Eli Bowen

Freddie Esele

Violetta “The Half-Woman”

Mademoiselle Gabrielle

Zandau

A.J. Murphy

Prince Randion

Edward S. Willis

Johnny Eck

Jeanie Tomaini

John Huber

Walter H. Stuart

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Francine Van Impe

Added Aug 11 2025

Miss Francine Van Impe

Added Aug 11 2025

Mr. Ledgwood, No Hands, No Arms, One Leg and Foot

Added Jul 6 2025

Madame Foster, Dream Circus Sideshow

Added Jun 1 2025

Friedrich Kistler, Limbless Musician

Added Dec 28 2024

Unidentified Young Woman, Truncated Arms

Added Dec 27 2024

Thomas Goy

Added Nov 4 2024

JEFFREY’S LIVING WONDERS, SEASON 1930

Added Nov 2 2024

Mademoiselle Gabrielle

Added Oct 20 2024

Miss Rose Foster

Added Oct 12 2024

Jeanie Tomaini & Siamese Twins’ Mother

Added Sep 8 2024

Mlle. Gabriel “The living half woman”

Added Jun 2 2024

Mlle. Gabriel “The living half woman”

Added May 12 2024

Eli Bowen Broadside, As The Wild Man

Added Sep 4 2023

Zandou “Quarter Boy”

Added Aug 18 2023

Nicodemus “The Indescribable”

Added Jul 19 2023

Nicodemus “The Indescribable”

Added Jul 19 2023

Frieda Pushnik, 1943

Added Nov 25 2022

Frieda Pushnik Signing Her Name, 1946

Added Nov 25 2022

Frieda Pushnik Snapshot, In Front of Ripley’s Odditorium, 1937

Added Nov 25 2022

Frieda Pushnik Snapshot, With Unidentified Man In Boat

Added Nov 25 2022

Frieda Pushnik Snapshot, Outdoors, With Her Mother and Other Women

Added Nov 25 2022

Frieda Pushnik Snapshot, Outdoors, With Unidentified Man

Added Nov 25 2022

Frieda Pushnik Snapshot, Outdoors

Added Nov 25 2022

Snapshot of Frieda Pushnik & Her Mother Outdoors

Added Nov 24 2022

Frieda Pushnik & Her Mother, 1947

Added Nov 24 2022

Frieda Pushnik, 1945

Added Nov 24 2022

Frieda Pushnik & Mother, 1937

Added Nov 24 2022

Frieda Pushnik, Signed

Added Nov 24 2022

Barney Nelson

Added Oct 25 2022

John P. King “The Armless Wonder”

Added Oct 24 2022

Willie Kaak “Fusskünstler”

Added Oct 24 2022

Frances Belle O’Connor

Added Oct 23 2022

Frances O’Connor, 1927

Added Oct 23 2022

Frances O’Connor

Added Oct 23 2022

Frances O’Connor, With Red Lipstick

Added Oct 23 2022

Frances O’Connor, 1936

Added Oct 23 2022

Frances O’Connor (?)

Added Oct 23 2022

Frances O’Connor

Added Oct 23 2022

Frances O’Connor, 1944

Added Oct 23 2022

W.C. Williams “One Arm One Man Band”

Added Oct 9 2022

Edward Boström, Legless Man With Prosthetic Legs

Added Oct 9 2022

Eli Bowen, Wife and Son

Added Sep 25 2022

Eli Bowen And Manager at Norman’s Museum

Added Sep 25 2022

Master Eli Bowen

Added Sep 18 2022

Eli Bowen with his Wife

Added Sep 18 2022

Eli Bowen, Wife and Son

Added Sep 18 2022

Eli Bowen “Legless Man”

Added Sep 18 2022

Eli Bowen And Manager at Norman’s Museum

Added Sep 18 2022

Randion With His Attendants

Added Sep 5 2022

Betty Williams/Freda Pushnik at Ripley’s Odditorium, 1933

Added Sep 4 2022

Miss Millie Howe “Armless Lady”

Added Sep 3 2022

Unidentified Limbless Boy

Added Sep 3 2022

Tripp & Bowen, Bicycle Riders

Added Sep 3 2022

Unidentified Armless Woman, Needlepointing

Added Aug 28 2022

Baneeta West “Armless Girl Musician”

Added Jan 1 2022

European Circus Sideshow with Anna-John Budd, Randion, Schlitzie, etc.

Added Oct 24 2021

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Foy Large & Frank Morgner

Added Oct 24 2021

Large and Morgner “An Act That Is Positively Unique”

Added Oct 24 2021

Large & Morgner “Two Men and Two Legs”

Added Oct 24 2021

Johanna, The German “Living Shop Window Bust”

Added Oct 9 2021

Freda Pushnik Sideshow Banner and Talker

Added Oct 4 2020

Freda Pushnik Sideshow Banner and Talker

Added Oct 4 2020

Eli Bowen “Legless Man”

Added May 17 2020

Frank Fithen “The Armless Auto Speed KIng”

Added May 17 2020

Unidentified Limbless Dwarf

Added May 11 2020

Benjamin Franklin “Armless & Legless Soldier”

Added May 11 2020

Hoyt Shoemaker, Armless & Legless Boy

Added May 11 2020

Violetta, Armless & Legless Girl

Added Jul 28 2019

Mlle. Gabrielle, Living Half Lady Business/Calling Card

Added May 12 2019

Paul Desmuke Single-O Tent Show

Added Mar 31 2019

Paul Desmuke as Body Double For Lon Chaney In The Film “The Unknown”

Added Mar 31 2019

Merey “The Armless Wonder” and Her Father In Front Of Their Showfront

Added Mar 3 2019

Mademoiselle Gabriele “The Half Lady”

Added Apr 29 2018

Little Donnie “The Upside Down Boy”

Added Feb 5 2017

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John Hix’s “Strange As It Seems” Cartoon of Prince Randion

Added Jan 31 2017

Wesley Upperman “Half-Boy” Bannerline on Biller Brothers Circus Sideshow

Added Nov 5 2016

Armless Man, Cipriano Maghanoy, of Sigijor, P.I.

Added Jul 10 2016

Prohibition Turns Saloon “Globe Cafe” Into A Dime Museum

Added Jul 10 2016

Wampus Wagel “Cherokee Indian Half Man”

Added Apr 16 2016

Barto Rimel “Legless Wonder,” “Pity Card”

Added Apr 14 2016

Ida Campbell/Claire Laroche “Half-Lady”

Added Mar 19 2016

Lewando Baldwin by Charles Eisenmann

Added Mar 19 2016

The Philipino Wonder

Added Mar 19 2016

The Autobiography of Miss Ann E. Leak (40 Pages)

Added Mar 19 2016

Martha Morris, “Armless Artist” As A Young Girl

Added Mar 19 2016

Freddie Esele at Coney Island

Added Nov 1 2015

Martha Morris “The Armless Wonder”

Added Jul 26 2015

Violetta

Added Apr 26 2015

Violetta “The Half-Woman”

Added Apr 8 2015

Violetta “The Half-Woman”

Added Apr 8 2015

Mdlle. Gabrielle

Added Apr 7 2015

Mlle. Gabriele “The Only Living Half Lady”

Added Apr 7 2015

Miss Gabriele “Die Englische Halbdame”

Added Apr 5 2015

Mdlle. Gabrielle “The World’s Wonder”

Added Apr 5 2015

Cyclone Breese

Added Apr 5 2015

Vivante La Femme-Buste

Added Apr 1 2015

Zandou “The Quarter Boy”

Added Mar 29 2015

W.H. Stuart & Family

Added Jan 20 2015

Paul Desmuke Inside Driver Brothers Tent

Added Jan 18 2015

Johnny Eck & Friends

Added Jan 6 2015

Johnny Eck at Birthday Party

Added Jan 5 2015

Johnny Eck & Friends

Added Jan 5 2015

[Johnny] Eck[hardt Bros.] Miniature Train Business Card

Added Jan 5 2015

Prince Randion Flyer

Added Jan 4 2015

jan5-1907randionbuffaload

Prince Randion Newspaper Ad 1907

Added Jan 4 2015

Prince Randion

Added Jan 4 2015

Prince Randion & His Wife

Added Jan 3 2015

Prince Randion

Added Jan 3 2015

Randion and His Attendants

Added Jan 3 2015

Randion

Added Jan 3 2015

Prince Randion “Armless & Legless Wonder”

Added Jan 3 2015

Smiling Johnny Eck on his doorstep

Added Oct 26 2014

Johnny Eck & Major

Added Oct 26 2014

Johnny Eck & Friend

Added Oct 26 2014

Johnny Eck Passport Photo

Added Oct 26 2014

Johnny Eck & Robert Eck On a Ship

Added Oct 26 2014

Johnny Eck and Ripley’s Attendents

Added Oct 25 2014

Johnny Eck & Robert Eck

Added Oct 25 2014

johnny Eck & Robert Eck

Added Oct 25 2014

Johnny Eck & Robert Eck

Added Oct 25 2014

Johnny Eck & Friends

Added Oct 24 2014

Johnny Eck & Friend

Added Oct 19 2014

Johnny Eck Pitchbook Repro (4 Pages)

Added Oct 19 2014

Johnny Eck Pitchbook (4 Pages)

Added Oct 18 2014

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Charles Tripp, Unusual Pose

Added Oct 12 2014

“A Wonder Worker” [Prince Randion]

Added Sep 28 2014

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Kitty Smith “Armless Girl”

Added Sep 12 2014

Phénomène Musical

Added Aug 12 2014

Charles Tripp “Armless Artist” Drawing from Admiral Dot’s Autograph Album

Added Jul 11 2014

A.J. Murphy, Quadruple Prosthetic

Added Jun 28 2014

A.J. Murphy, Quadruple Prosthetic

Added Jun 28 2014

[Rosa Lee] Armless & Harmless Pitchbook (4 Pages)

Added Jun 28 2014

C.H. Townsend “Living Wonder”

Added Jun 28 2014

William C. Grant “Handless Musician”

Added Jun 28 2014

William C. Grant “Handless Musician”

Added Jun 28 2014

Martha Morris

Added Jun 28 2014

Martha Morris

Added Jun 28 2014

Martha Morris

Added Jun 28 2014

Free Images

Robert Ripley Advertises Old Gold Cigarettes

Added August 3, 2025

Dolly Dutton’s Sheet Music

Added May 31, 2025

Wonderland Circus Sideshow, Coney Island

Added December 31, 2024

1893 Newspaper Advertisement For The Tocci Brothers and Chevalier Cliquot

Added March 30, 2024

1893 Newspaper Advertisement For The Tocci Brothers and Chevalier Cliquot

Added March 30, 2024

HORROR STORIES Pulp Cover Two-Headed Girl (December 1940)

Added January 28, 2024

Baby Irene “Fat Lady” Cashes In On Laughs (1950)

Added December 26, 2023

1937 Philadelphia Store Show Facade

Added July 22, 2023

Mr. & Mrs. Chauncy Morlan at Huber’s 14th Street Museum

Added July 21, 2023

Hulett Pest Control Spokesmen, Dwarfs John and Greg Rice

Added January 31, 2023