All the fun of the fair: how to buy a piece of circus, fair and movie joy for your home

Fairground horse

Bring all the fun of the fair… ground into your home with this c.1920 carved wooden Orton and Spooner carousel fairground horse (pictured above). It has glass eyes, showman’s paint, carved bridle and an elaborate saddle and is 42.5in (1.08m) long. It is estimated at £400-600 at Special Auction Services at its Dolls & Teddy Bears Auction on June 20-22.

Chinese lion head

A Chinese State Circus papier-mache lion’s head from Gerry Cottle’s circus, estimated at £80-120 at Special Auction Services on June 20-22.

For a piece of circus history why not bid for this papier-mache lion’s head from the well-known Gerry Cottle’s circus. The Chinese State Circus papier-mache head, with opening mouth, rolling eyes and orange hair mane is 27.5in (70cm) long. It is estimated at £80-120, also at Special Auction Services’ Dolls & Teddy Bears Auction on June 20-22.

Juggling clown

This 1950's Japanese novelty tinplate and battery operated Pinky the juggling clown toy, with vinyl head and hands in a felt costume with lithographed tinplate legs and shoes by Alps/Rock Valley is estimated at £40-60 at Bamfords on June 19.

Movie bear head

A bear’s head TV prop from the TV show The Munsters, estimated at $600-1200 at Propstore on June 30.

Remember The Munsters? Well perhaps not, but who can resist this costume bear head? The Munsters was a US TV show that ran in the 1960s. The comedy, a rival to The Addams Family, starred Frankenstein’s monster Herman Munster and his family who lived in a suburban American town. This bear’s head TV prop featured in the series as Olga the Dancing Bear (a bear that had escaped from the circus). The head is being sold from the collection of makeup artist John Chambers who created prosthetics throughout The Munsters series. It has an estimate of $600-1200 at a Propstore auction on June 30.

Antique swing boat

These two antique fairground swing boats are certainly showing their age. They are estimated at £100-150 at Reeman Dansie on June 15.