Pauline Cushman & Barnum
Very rare "Souvenir" and eight image montage of famous female Civil War spy Cushman surrounding P.T. Barnum. It is documented that this Carte De Visite was sold by Cushman when she appeared at The American Museum in June 1864. A genre of exhibition pioneered by Barnum, Cushman was one of the first "freaks of celebrity" to appear on the dime museum stage. This tradition continued up through the 1920's when such acts as boxer Jack Johnson and ballplayer Grover Cleveland Alexander appeared at Hubert's Museum. Photo by E.&H.T. ANTHONY.