Pitchcards were made by sideshow performers to sell as souvenirs to the marks following their act. They were usually a picture of the performer exhibiting one of their amazing feats or unusual appearance. Johnny's cards usually featured a picture of Johnny on a pedestle with his brother Robert standing at his side.The cards allowed the performer to make a couple extra nickles and gave the mark a nice keepsake. Not to mention the free advertising the performer would get as the pitchcards were shared with friends. Johnny made several versions of his pitchcards throught his career. However, most of these pitchcards have not survived the years and are next to impossible to find.
Here is a sampling of some of our favorites.
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