Vintage Circus Poster For Sale
Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus

Original Vintage Circus Poster
Mr. and Mrs. Gargantua the Great, 1941-43

Stunning Original Barnum & Bailey Circus Poster .

KING KING comes to Life!

An unforgettable sensation that swept across America in the 1940s—a spectacle of size, fear, and fascination that filled tents and stirred the public's imagination.   Strikign Vintage Poster Art of this bretah-taking Act/Exhibition.     

Ringling Bros. Barnum Bailey Circus Poster

Authentic, original, RBBB Circus - Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Gargantua the Great. One sheet, c.1941. 

Condition: Very Good 100% Original UNrestored condition.  Chartex mounted, edgewear, remnants of date tail. 28"x42" 

Size:  28"x42" 


Gargantua the Great
Gargantua was a massive male gorilla and one of the most famous animal stars in circus history. Originally named Buddy, he was acquired by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1937. Weighing over 500 pounds, his fearsome appearance—enhanced by a dramatic backstory involving a facial scar from an acid attack—was heavily marketed to draw massive crowds.

Ringling billed him as the “World’s Most Terrifying Living Creature”, creating a sensational spectacle that revived public interest in the circus during the late 1930s. He traveled in a custom-built, heavily reinforced cage and became a headlining act that was more a visual marvel than a performance.

Mr. and Mrs. Gargantua the Great
In 1941, the circus introduced “Mrs. Gargantua”, a female gorilla named Mitoto (sometimes misrepresented as Toto), to pair with Gargantua and capitalize on the public fascination. The "marriage" was purely promotional—there was no romantic bond or actual pairing, and the gorillas were kept separately due to potential aggression.

The circus rebranded them as “Mr. and Mrs. Gargantua the Great”, continuing the spectacle of giant gorilla attraction while adding a sensational narrative. Despite the hype, their "relationship" was never more than staged.

*See enlargeable images above