The Palace of Curiosities:
A Fairground Sideshow
A Short History of the Palace of Curiosities Fairground Sideshow, 1887-2012.
The rare and priceless items you see in the current show were originally acquired from the 1887 estate sale of a retired Army Officer, Captain Henry Cudworth, who had amassed a large collection of curiosities from his expeditions around the world. As a result of funding his extensive travels and acquisitions the Captain had by 1885 become financially insolvent, and his entire Estate was sold at a Bankruptcy Auction in 1887. The Flea Circus and Punch and Judy operator Professor Okko was able to purchase the entire Collection of rare artefacts cheaply as worthless objects, due in part to a rumour circulating prior to the auction that they were all fakes that had been made by Captain Cudworth to fund his own gambling debts and excessive alcohol drinking.
As far as Mr Oxley can ascertain, the show that he presents today is a faithful representation of the original exhibition circa 1890–1905 (with some of Mr Oxley's own curiosities added from his current collection). However, he has no definitive answer to counter the rumours of elaborate deceptions which preceded the Auction in 1887, but merely leaves it to the audience to make up their own minds having viewed the show. He does however remind all of the visitors to the Palace of Curiosities that Captain Henry Cudworth, formerly of the Calcutta Rifles, was described by his contemporaries as a man of impeccable character. The rumours of trickery and fraud only surfaced prior to the sale. It was as a direct result of these rumours that the valuations of the acquisitions were greatly reduced. This was to the obvious detriment of the hapless Captain but made Professor Okko a very wealthy man.
The rare and priceless items you see in the current show were originally acquired from the 1887 estate sale of a retired Army Officer, Captain Henry Cudworth, who had amassed a large collection of curiosities from his expeditions around the world. As a result of funding his extensive travels and acquisitions the Captain had by 1885 become financially insolvent, and his entire Estate was sold at a Bankruptcy Auction in 1887. The Flea Circus and Punch and Judy operator Professor Okko was able to purchase the entire Collection of rare artefacts cheaply as worthless objects, due in part to a rumour circulating prior to the auction that they were all fakes that had been made by Captain Cudworth to fund his own gambling debts and excessive alcohol drinking.
As far as Mr Oxley can ascertain, the show that he presents today is a faithful representation of the original exhibition circa 1890–1905 (with some of Mr Oxley's own curiosities added from his current collection). However, he has no definitive answer to counter the rumours of elaborate deceptions which preceded the Auction in 1887, but merely leaves it to the audience to make up their own minds having viewed the show. He does however remind all of the visitors to the Palace of Curiosities that Captain Henry Cudworth, formerly of the Calcutta Rifles, was described by his contemporaries as a man of impeccable character. The rumours of trickery and fraud only surfaced prior to the sale. It was as a direct result of these rumours that the valuations of the acquisitions were greatly reduced. This was to the obvious detriment of the hapless Captain but made Professor Okko a very wealthy man.
Following taking ownership of the artefacts in 1887 Professor Okko toured throughout Britain and Europe gaining in popularity and notoriety with the show, The Palace of Curiosities and the specially designed viewing booth (see PT Barnum's Autobiography extract) .
His greatest moment was presenting the Show to Queen Victoria in 1897 at Buckingham Palace for the Diamond Jubilee.
The Palace of Curiosities at Buckingham Palace by A Davis .
By permission of Hampton House .
The Armoured Palace of Curiosities leaving Thomas Oxley's Factory , Sheffield.
David Oxley's private collection)
As a result of this Royal performance that in 1900 at the height of the Boer War a specially commissioned Armoured Palace of Curiosities was sent out with Professor Okko to entertain and educate the troops in an attempt to raise morale. This Armoured Variant was broken up after the war in South Africa and following Professor Okkos return to England resumed his shows with the Original 1887 Model.
Original Photograph showing both The Palace of Curiosities and The Théâtre du Grand-Guignol.
(David Oxley's private collection )
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Scarce Photograph of Professor Okko welcoming The Garrison at Cape Town , South Africa 1900.
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On Return from South Africa Professor Okko took the Exhibition over to France where for the first time he also showed the new Viewing Booth," The Theatre du Grand Guignol " alongside The Palace of Curiosities. It was no coincidence that the name of this new Booth was the same name as a theatre which had opened in Paris a few years earlier in 1897 . Many Parisians having paid the entrance fee thinking they were going to a night out at the Theatre mistakenly entered the sideshow of Professor Okko. The Theatre du Grand Guingol has also been preserved and occasionally is shown alongside The Palace of Curiosities.
By 1913 The Palace of Curiosities was loosing some of the audiences it had once enjoyed in Great Britain and as a result again toured Europe in the spring of 1914 having just acquired The fabled "Hand of Cleopatra" which was hoped to revive Professor Okko,s fortunes .
At the outbreak of World War One Professor Okko was Exhibiting the Palace of Curiosities in Brussels and he joined the exodus south making his way with the Palace to the British Lines. It was during the retreat to Mons at Nimy that He was last seen alive. It is assumed Professor Okko Died at this time although his body was never found. His probable death however was mourned by countless people - mainly due to Okko owing large sums in gambling debts.
The actual Palace of Curiosities Booth was used as an impromptu firing Platform during the spirited defence of the Bridge at Nimy before falling into German hands and remained in Berlin until 1919.It was handed back to the British under the terms of The Armistice signed at Compiègne in 1919.
The Booth was sold in 1925 to an American showman Marco Civico, who had a string of sideshows in Coney Island, New York State . Civico was of Italian American decent with family ties to the mafia controlling much of the east coast illicit gambling and alcohol market. It was through these connections to the underworld that in 1939 he went on to meet Don Amleto Battisti a Uruguayan Mobster and Hotelier who owned The Hotel Sevilla in Havana, Cuba and for the duration of the war Civico took up residency at this grand hotel giving presentations most evenings .
Little is known about its history after the war until it reappeared in Great Britain in the early 1950s where it became an established attraction at the English Seaside resort of Blackpool until the mid 1960s. After this period it disappeared from view until its rediscovery in a North Yorkshire barn in 2009.
During the Palace's restoration various items that were found attached to the booth that post-date the timeline of 1900 have been left in situ as it was felt that they were intrinsic to the history of the Booth. Further artefacts have come to light which have a history connected to The Palace and David Oxley has attempted to purchase these to make the current show as complete as possible. A recent edition is the Infamous hand of Cleopatra internationalauctionnews.com/antiquities-market-update-december-2012. This was acquired shortly before the first world war and has long been associated with a curse which many believe explains the deaths of all of the members of the 1891 excavation of Queen Cleopatra's Tomb and most of the owners since.
The Current Palace of Curiosities is continuing to research the history of this sideshow and Professor Okko. The placement of Blue Plaques at places known to be associated with the show is another development recently undertaken as a result of this academic research.
Alongside our ongoing research we also give financial assistance to other institutions of Learning. Currently we are adopting a Hyrtil Skull from the world famous Mutter Museum , College of Physicians, Philadelphia, USA. Although this skull is of great academic importance The Palace of Curiosities believe it should also be enjoyed for its pure entertainment value as well.
Alongside our ongoing research we also give financial assistance to other institutions of Learning. Currently we are adopting a Hyrtil Skull from the world famous Mutter Museum , College of Physicians, Philadelphia, USA. Although this skull is of great academic importance The Palace of Curiosities believe it should also be enjoyed for its pure entertainment value as well.
Photographs from the 2009 Discovery and Restoration.
Press "play" 0n the photograph to start the slide show.
For further Information on the discovery of the Booth and artefacts please see The Proprietor's Biography on the staff page of this website.
We are always interested in obtaining any historical information or artefacts (with providence) relating to The Palace of Curiosities - please contact us via the enquiries page of this website.
We are always interested in obtaining any historical information or artefacts (with providence) relating to The Palace of Curiosities - please contact us via the enquiries page of this website.