In 1939, Chicago architect Irving Kane Pond (1857–1939) gave his collection of circus memorabilia to the Newberry Library. As a child, Pond enjoyed doing acrobatics and the thrill of the circus, a passion which continued throughout his lifetime and as an adult through his involvement with the National Circus Fans Association. Pond's collection represents over twenty circuses that toured throughout the United States and Europe, consisting of circus programs and inscribed photographs, as well as original drawings for Pond’s 1937 book, Big Top Rhythms.
Pond and his brother Allen, of Pond & Pond Architects, designed several public and private buildings, including Jane Addams Hull House and the Irving Hotel, once owned by the Newberry Library.
