Albertina and Alexis (1918-1948)

Albertina and her brother Alexis were Russian dancers who hoped to join the American Ballet. Performed instead as nimble Circasian Dervishes at the Oriental Village, Coney Island. (1927)

Pretty Little Fiona (1876-1908)

Original Fee Jee Mermaid--Lady of Mystery--history unknown! Mohair tail with mother-of-pearl scales. Adopted by Harry Knowles, Christmas 2006.

Dewey Trifecta. (1934-1957)

Enjoyed running a lucrative blow-off concession within the sideshow tent playing Three Card Monty with the other talent’s pitch cards. When a Calcasieu parish bull lost his shine money on a double or nothing round, Dewey earned himself two years cooling his heels before quietly returning to showbiz with the Terlingua Fabulon.

Hector/Helene. (1896-1932)

Dicephalus Siamese twin mermaids from the isle of FeeGee were considered too ostentatious for Barnum’s American Museum. Instead they toured with the Sells-Floto Circus performing a high dive act employing a washtub and the aid of a hand-crank dumb waiter.