A CIRCUS AUCTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4562, 7 December 1882, Page 3

A CIRCUS AUCTION.

Myers' great Amorican oircus and hippodrome was disposed of on Oct. 18, and, as it is not often that half a hundred horses, a batch of elophants, and a den of lions are publicly knocked down to the highest bidder without reserve, a few particulars wiU be of interest. When Mr Bymill, the proprietor of the well-known repository in the Barbican, ascended his roitruni to open the s»le, it waß felt by everybody that tho scene was appropriate to the business. The audience stood in a swampy hollow strewed deep with damp, decaying leaves of chestnut and elm, intermingled with damp, dead fragments of posters which once heralded the approaoh to town and village in Europe and America of tho " Onparralled Show." Ihe aactiont er, in a sympathetic little prefatory spoech, explained how Mr Myers, after forty years' catering for the publio as a circus proprietor, had fallen upon evil days, and how the sale had been made necessary by harsh proocodings, from which sympathising friends would rescue him. The eale commencing, the Ootober ohill for a while got even into the bidding. The gailypainted vehicles which have made many a brave display in divers countries fared ill, Three R^man ohcrioU, fit for any hippodrome races, were allowed to run at seven, eight, and nine guineas, respectively. A gorgeous concern, with complex maohinory for erecting it into a moving structure 26 feet high, ornamented with lion*' heads, gold oarvings, and thick plate-glass, was sold for 40 guineas, though it cost £300, and had been drawn in triumph by 40 howes. Other grand circus equipages, whose artistic adornments were strikingly alle* gorical, and radiant with more than the usual complement of primary colours, went for less, one " painted picture box carriage for parade," nicely fitted with shelves for carrying wardrobes, and portraying stirring scenes calculated to inspire awe judiciously flavoured with ouriojity, fetching ten guineas only. The drag and band carriage — pioneer of the splendid procession whioh many remember with rapture — was knocked down for 24 guineas. A set of really serviceable luggage vans, with strong wheels and bodies, realised £5 each, and a single brougham was bought for £3 sterling. Business proceeded better in the great tont when the lions and elephants were offered. A row of rioh blocks of liver was just before the sale plaoed before the lions outside the cago, to enablo them to concentrate their imaginations. The auctioneer and his audience being duly arranged the meat was tendered between the bare, and a brief eßtertoininont ensued. The refection over, Mr Rymill again made a speech, reading a telegram to show that a dastardly attempt made to injure "poor Myers " had just been defeated by tho judge, to whom application was made, refuting to stop tho sale. The first bid for tho six lions and cage was 800 guineas, made by Mr John Cooper, who trained them. Mr Paravicini advanced lo 000, and then Mr Cooper, amid loud cheers, bid 1000 guineas, at which price he secured them. The lions disposed of, Blind Bill, the large femalo elephant, was harnoised to the bsok of tho cage, and drew it out of the ring. That ovor, she came up for sale, ono of her recommendations being that she could push 12 or 14 tons with her head. Mr Cooper put her in at 150 guineas, and, there being no other bid, she became his. Ihe noxt lot was four performing olophants, vory docile It was some time before anyone would put them in at 400 guineas, but they advanced to 1000 guineas, at whioh figure they became the property of the Meesrs Sanger. The home and ponies cams noxt. Black Princo, v clover ring horse, made 40 guineas, and " Oh My," known in acrobatic circles, picked up a useful, if aged, piebald steod, at 12 guineas. A spotted ring horee brought 32 guineas, and four piebald horfos that have beon running together in tho fourhorse act, were bought by Mr Giulini at a total of £122. To tho eye of the non-pro-fessional, Tommy, a sixyoar-old American, wati as good us anything in tho sale, and Mr Fardell, the doalor, secured him cheap at 32 guineas. Pouter, an Austrian spot horse, sold for 100 guineas. Thou a handsome dun mare roacbed 145 guineas. Amongst the horses was Cromwell, the weli-known performing horso ridden by Mrs Mjen. Cromwell was bought by Mr Rymill, and generously prcßontod by him to Mrs Myers. Silam, a thoroughbred Tracheno stallion, caused some spirited bidding ; after being put in f.t 40 guineas bo wos iccurod nt 200 by Mr Cramer. The sve Tracheno horses sold for 250 guineas. Tho harness and wardrobes only fetched small prices, but, on tho whole, th o ealo was successful, the total proceeds being about £5000.