Vintage Photograph of a Female Trainer Possibly Mabel Stark in Cat Cage with 5 Jaguars Early 1900s

Photographer Unknown

$34.99

  • Description

  • City: Unknown
  • State: unknown
  • Country: United States
  • Source: Bodin Collection
  • Approx. Date: Early 1900s
  • Photographer: unknown

A female circus tamer is in a cage with five adult jaguars are in the cage, who are playing around a large wheel. It is assumed that the trainer is Mabel Stark, the first female tiger trainer.  There are also several other objects inside the cage, such as curtains in the back, which serve as a backdrop for the show. There are also two male spectators who are watching outside the cage and leaning back on a box. The cage itself is placed on a large, steel platform; and a box with the number "13" written on its sides is perched at the edge of the platform.

When Mabel first began working for the Al G. Barnes circus in 1911, she was assigned to working with horses; however, Stark desperately insisted that she wanted to work with tigers. Despite several mauling incidents with lions and tigers, she quickly rose to fame and was approached by the Barnum & Bailey circus in 1922. She continued working with Barnum and Bailey until 1925, when all acts involving wild animals became banned in the United States. She then traveled to Europe to continue her circus performances. Throughout her career, she suffered many unfortunate accidents involving the animals she performed with, but, nonetheless, Mable was always eager to spring back to action upon recovery. 

From the collection of Fred Bodin of Gloucester MA. Fred was a long time resident and well-known photographer of Gloucester and had one of the best private collections of New England nautical photographs in private hands. Fred was a photojournalist having graduated with this degree from Syracuse University and worked for Yankee Magazine. Fred passed away in 2016 and HIP purchased his collection from his estate.

  • Description

  • City: Unknown
  • State: unknown
  • Country: United States
  • Source: Bodin Collection
  • Approx. Date: Early 1900s
  • Photographer: unknown

A female circus tamer is in a cage with five adult jaguars are in the cage, who are playing around a large wheel. It is assumed that the trainer is Mabel Stark, the first female tiger trainer.  There are also several other objects inside the cage, such as curtains in the back, which serve as a backdrop for the show. There are also two male spectators who are watching outside the cage and leaning back on a box. The cage itself is placed on a large, steel platform; and a box with the number "13" written on its sides is perched at the edge of the platform.

When Mabel first began working for the Al G. Barnes circus in 1911, she was assigned to working with horses; however, Stark desperately insisted that she wanted to work with tigers. Despite several mauling incidents with lions and tigers, she quickly rose to fame and was approached by the Barnum & Bailey circus in 1922. She continued working with Barnum and Bailey until 1925, when all acts involving wild animals became banned in the United States. She then traveled to Europe to continue her circus performances. Throughout her career, she suffered many unfortunate accidents involving the animals she performed with, but, nonetheless, Mable was always eager to spring back to action upon recovery. 

From the collection of Fred Bodin of Gloucester MA. Fred was a long time resident and well-known photographer of Gloucester and had one of the best private collections of New England nautical photographs in private hands. Fred was a photojournalist having graduated with this degree from Syracuse University and worked for Yankee Magazine. Fred passed away in 2016 and HIP purchased his collection from his estate.