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Item Description
18.75x46" flat poster. The gorilla who would become known as Gargantua, and pull the Ringling Bros. & Barnum Bailey circus through the Great Depression, was born in the Belgian Congo approximately 1929. At only a year old he was captured and given as a gift to a sea captain by missionaries. He was loved by the captain and named Buddy. A sailor on board the ship threw nitric acid in Buddy's face, nearly killing him and producing the scars that the circus later promoted to claim his ferocity. Given then to a wealthy woman in NY, the couple nursed him back to health but became frightened around age 7 when Buddy weighed in excess of 300 pounds. She sold the unruly 'pet' to Ringling Bros. He was renamed Gargantua and given a 'wife' for promotion named Toto. Here, they are portrayed together by Bill Bailey on a Roland Butler from Sarasota 1941 Christmas greeting. Foxing does not affect the animals or wreath, but does show prominently at left and right edges. VG. Fred Hoffman Collection.
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