The Gorillas
The gorilla was introduced with the Teddy Roosevelt in 1909. Three designs are known. It is one of three Humpty Dumpty circus regular size animals that only came with painted eyes. No decal eyes version has been seen. The first true gorilla to appear in an American circus was in the early 1920s.

Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

Shown here clockwise from the upper left - 
two-part head with leather ears, two-part head with molded ears, and, in the front, the carved composition head.

Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

Leather ears, flesh palms, white eyes, two-part head

Either this, or the composition carved head at the right, is likely the earliest gorilla made. This design's leather ears are distinctive.  The mouth is red and the eyes white. The back of the head is turned wood with leather ears inserted in holes. The face is molded from a composition material and glued to a flattened side of the turned wood back.

Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

This gorilla was introduced with the Teddy Roosevelt sets.

Carved head, flesh palms, white eyes, one-part head

This style was painted much like the design with leather ears at the left leading one to suppose that this may have been the first or second second style produced. It is probably the rarest gorilla. Its head appears to have been first rough molded out of composition material, then hand carved. Carving marks can be seen on the ears of this example.

Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner

Molded ears, gray palms, yellow eyes, two-part head

This may have been the last design produced based on its painting style. Its head is a two-part design. Its ears were molded or possibly applied to the head. The hand painting was changed to yellowish eyes, a pinkish mouth, and grayish palms. Its nostrils were not painted.

Gargantua was exhibited in the late 1930s.

One-Part Head