Richley, Steven B., Born 1969
Dates
- Existence: Born 1969
Biography
Steven Richley was born in Swansea in 1969 and started collecting circus posters at a young age after being given a poster from Weight’s Famous Circus which had just visited his home town of Caldicot in South Wales.
Over the following 30 years he avidly collected circus posters amassing a collection of over 2,500 circus items from around the world. The collection includes particularly comprehensive collections from the circuses of Bertram Mills, Billy Smart’s, Chipperfield’s, Robert Brothers and Gerry Cottle’s in addition to rare circus posters dating back to the early 1800s including examples from Astley’s, Cooke’s and Hengler’s productions.
After graduating at Cardiff University in 1990, Steve moved to London to work for Madame Tussauds, setting up his own Company in 1993 that he continues to run developing visitor attractions around the world.
Following his acquisition of several comprehensive circus poster collections, Steve formed Double Crown Books to publish books and material relating to ephemeral circus art. Steve wrote, compiled and published ‘The Posters of Bertram Mills Circus’ in September 2014 with ‘The Posters of Billy Smarts Circus’ soon to follow.
Steve is a member of the Circus Friends Association of Great Britain.
Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:
Gerry Cottle's Circus Poster, c1980 - 2000
Oversize printed poster advertising Gerry Cottle's Circus at Wembley, London. Acts include Jeremy Beadle, Hoppe's World Famous Mules, The Alegria Brothers, Jane and her Giant Pythons and Crocodiles and The Kenya Brothers. Yellow background, with green, red, yellow, black and white text, and photographs and illustrations of performers, 1p.
Posters, c1900 - 1959
Various circus and variety performers posters including Koringa.
Richley Collection
Circus and sideshow posters including small amount of material on Koringa and copy of Bertram Mill’s Circus limited edition book written by the donor.
The Amazing Bendy Man Kiros Hadgu Poster, c2000 - 2015
Printed poster advertising The Amazing Bendy Man Kiros Hadgu. Pink, white and black text, and photographs of Kiros Hadgu, 1p.