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4-1/8\" x 2-1/2\"This antique cabinet photo features the Wild Men of Borneo, Waino & Plutano, seen in Barnum Circus Sideshow. The photo is from the 1890s and was manufactured in the United States at the Morris studio, 16 6th Street, Pittsburgh, Pa.
It is a unique piece of historical memorabilia that would make a great addition to any collection of circus and carnival memorabilia.
The photo captures the essence of the circus sideshow in the late nineteenth century.
Waino and Plutano were each 40 inches (100 centimeters) tall and weighed about 45 pounds (20 kg), yet could perform feats of great strength, such as lifting heavy weights and wrestling with audience members on stage.
Discovered and promoted by a traveling showman known as Doctor Warner in 1852, Hiram and Barney were given new names, Waino and Plutanor, and a sensational backstory – they were said to be from the island ofBorneo, where they had been captured after a great struggle with armed sailors.
They initially had modest success, but at least one newspaper believed them to be dwarves from the United States.[3]The two were exhibited at state fairs across the United States. In the 1860 census they were living inSomerville, Massachusetts, in the household of Henry Harvey, a showman.[4]At some point in the next few years management of the pair was transferred to a relative of Doctor Warner, Hanford A. Warner.
