It belonged to the celebrated Victorian circus midget Tom Thumb, born Charles Sherwood Stratton in Bridgeport, Connecticut and first introduced to the showman P.T. Barnum in 1842 at the age of four.
The next year he reached his climactic height of 2ft 1in and the entrepreneurial Barnum turned him into a fairground exhibit. In return, the boy was given a decent education and given the military title General Tom Thumb after the heroic 17th century midget, soldier, courtier and duelist, Sir Jeffrey Hudson. Tom toured the world on his fame, entertaining Queen Victoria, Queen Isabella of Spain and King Leopold of the Belgians. Lavinia Warren was taller than Tom by seven inches when they married in 1863 (a wedding attended by 2000 guests) and she outlived her husband, in no small part due to her extra height, by more than three decades. Tom Thumb died of apoplexy in 1883, aged 45.
The suit, which comprises a black wool tailcoat with silk buttons and lining, matching trousers and waistcoat with cream cotton lining, is expected to fetch £800-1200.
Thumb’s up for grabs
Pint-sized dealers might be interested in getting hold of this immaculate little suit in black wool and cream cotton, measuring just 2ft 1in (63cm) from collar to trouser bottom, which is being offered by Bonhams in Knowle on December 11.
