Samri S. Baldwin, the white mahatma and a superb company – Historic Print
![Samri S. Baldwin, the white mahatma and a superb company, Hartford : Calhoun Print., [ca. 1870] — vintage poster](https://images.jameslantos.com/img/2e/2e09460048e8-L.webp)
(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)
Description
A window into the past: Samri S. Baldwin, the white mahatma and a superb company, preserved in this vintage poster. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.
The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. A conversation-starting piece for home, office, or as a meaningful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past has been bringing history to the wall since 2001, for tens of thousands of customers worldwide.
Samri S. Baldwin, the white mahatma and a superb company
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Few posters of the period promised a magic show quite like this one, which bills Samri S. Baldwin as "the white mahatma" and advertises a "superb company." The tall color woodcut, printed by Calhoun Printing in Hartford around 1870, pairs the performer with skulls and cats, imagery that leaned into the dark, mysterious tone audiences expected from stage magic. Baldwin, who lived from 1848 to 1924, belonged to a generation of conjurors who borrowed exotic titles from the East to lend their shows an air of mystery. Posters like this were pasted on walls and storefronts to sell tickets, so the bold graphics were meant to catch the eye from across the street.
| Created / published | Hartford : Calhoun Print., [ca. 1870] |
|---|---|
| Medium | 1 print (poster) : woodcut, color ; 212 x 106 cm. |
| Notes | Created by Calhoun Print |
| Subjects | Baldwin, Samri S.,--1848-1924--Performances. Skulls. Magicians. Cats. |
| Source | Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division |
| Original scan | 4,099 × 5,115 px · prints to 14 × 17 in at 300 dpi |
| Reference | AMZ-SOTP-HPA-226530 |
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