This collection contains one letter, one circular advertisement, and three sketches related to James H. McFarlane's desire to have the St. Louis artistic firm Collins & Chambers design promotional posters for Cassie and Victoria Foster, the "Fairy Sisters." A printed advertising circular and manuscript letter, both dated October 16, 1872, provide the firm's credentials for creating "Show Paintings," including a list of similar performers recently depicted and the rates charged for various poster sizes. These are accompanied by three undated pencil drawings of possible poster designs; two claim that the sisters are the smallest people in the world, and other simply refers to them as part of "The Wonders of the World." Though one design is particularly heavy on text, all three depict the sisters, with two using normal-sized adults for comparative purposes, and seem to be located in an idyllic environment, possibly near a pond. Text on two of the posters gives the girls' ages as 10 and 3, and their weight as 12 pounds and 6 pounds, respectively.
Catherine "Cassie" (b. ca. 1865) and Victoria (b. ca. 1871) Foster were born in Nova Scotia to Thomas and Elizabeth Foster. The daughters were two of eight children. Their parents exhibited the girls, who suffered from a form of dwarfism, as a sideshow attraction called "The Fairy Sisters"; both girls died within a year of each other, Cassie in 1875 and Victoria in 1874. Their brother, Dudley (b. 1877), was also born with dwarfism, and was similarly exhibited, often under the name "Hop-O'-My-Thumb."
Collins & Chambers was an art company based at 318 Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1872; they painted promotional posters for circus attractions.
