Ida Siddons Burlesque Co. Grand Novel First Part Snow Scene

New York: H. Seibert & Bro. Rare lithographed poster advertising a winter scene from a performance by the Ida Siddons Burlesque Company -- a popular, mostly female, troupe of entertainers that toured widely in the United States in the 1880s. Ida Siddons was born in Niagara Falls in 1857 and first appears in newspaper stories as a performer with a "skipping rope act" in the late 1870s. An 1881 article in the San Francisco Examiner mentioned the "first appearance in 'Frisco of the talented eastern character dancer Ida Siddons." Siddons' 1933 obituary in the Brooklyn Times Union credits her with having "organized the first burlesque company in the country." Whether that is accurate we cannot say, but she seems to have launched her company in 1883, when newspapers from several different states refer variously (and with variable placement of apostrophes) to "Ida Siddons' Female Minstrels," "Ida Siddons' Female Mastodons," "Ida Siddons' Female Mastodons and Burlesque Company," and "Ida Siddons' Female Mastodonic Comic Opera Company." The first notice we found of "Ida Siddons' Burlesque Company" advertises a performance in St. Louis in October, 1883, of a "burlesque extravaganza" called "The Naiad Queen." In 1884 in Chicago, they offered their "Winter Carnival Inaugural. Snow Mardi Gras" with "40 handsome young ladies." The scene shown on this poster may relate to that production. Reviews were generally favorable for Siddons' extravagant productions, which packed in the crowds with their comedic skills, beautiful costumes, specialty acts, and what one critic described as "a dizzying exhibit of perfect anatomy, but nothing immoral or unchaste." The poster measures about 26" x 40". It is in fair condition only. It has been mounted on a backing board, is chipped at the edges (covered by a removeable mat), and has quite a few small losses, tears, and crude amateur repairs. Although it would certainly benefit from professional restoration, the integrity of the image remains, and it is still bright and appealing as is. We find no record of this poster in OCLC or anywhere else, and only a single example of any extant Ida Siddons poster, in condition inferior to this one. (Inventory #: 22879)