Marcks Family Miniature Circus
Encyclopedia
The Marcks Family Miniature Circus is a miniature representation
of the Sells Floto Circus
of the 1930s
. It was conceived and originated by Isaac Marcks and hand carved
over the span of 50 years by him and his son Donald Marcks, publisher of the popular weekly publication Circus Report.
The circus is built to a scale of one-half inch equals one foot
and consists of multiple tents and scores of wagons (all exact copies of the old-time circus days) and people, all hand carved. With over 300,000 pieces in the collection, the miniature circus main tent stands 25 inches tall and is 5 feet wide and 11 feet long. It is currently on display at Playland-Not-At-The-Beach
.
Scale model
A scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
of the Sells Floto Circus
Sells Floto Circus
The Sells Floto Circus was a combination of the Floto Dog & Pony Show and the Sells Brothers Circus that toured with sideshow acts in the United States during the early 1900s.-History:...
of the 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
. It was conceived and originated by Isaac Marcks and hand carved
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
over the span of 50 years by him and his son Donald Marcks, publisher of the popular weekly publication Circus Report.
The circus is built to a scale of one-half inch equals one foot
1:24 scale
1:24 is a very popular size for Die-cast toy vehicles, which are collected by children and adults. Primarily automobiles are made in this scale, with a few examples of tractor trailers and other larger equipment. Plastic automobile kits are frequently made in this scale.1:24 is the largest of the...
and consists of multiple tents and scores of wagons (all exact copies of the old-time circus days) and people, all hand carved. With over 300,000 pieces in the collection, the miniature circus main tent stands 25 inches tall and is 5 feet wide and 11 feet long. It is currently on display at Playland-Not-At-The-Beach
Playland-Not-At-The-Beach
Playland-Not-At-The-Beach is a non-profit, family-oriented museum in El Cerrito, California celebrating America's bygone amusements operated entirely by volunteers....
.
External links
- Marcks Family Circus
- Playland 2007 photoset of the miniature display on Flickr