Achille Philion: Circus Showman and Rolling Globe artist 1890s

The car was begun in 1887 and was patented and made its first appearance on the streets of Akron, Ohio, in 1892. Philion was by now a featured performer in an Akron-based circus and was widely reputed to be one of the finest balancing artists of his time, his specialty walking a rubber ball (naturally, this was Akron, and B. F. Goodrich made the balls) up a spiral tower and then descending at a great speed in a blaze of fireworks at the bottom.

He built the steamer to call attention to himself and his act, and used it in numerous parades, which always preceded a circus coming to town.

Philion even played the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. In the late 1890s, following a fall while performing in the East, Achille Philion retired from the circus world. He remained in Akron where he opened a movie theater in 1904 and where, in 1907, the Philion steamer was exhibited at Akron's first automobile show.

Following Philion's death, the car was acquired by a motion picture entrepreneur and appeared in such movies as *The Magnificent Ambersons* with Orson Welles and *Excuse My Dust* with Red Skelton.

You can see the car and read a bit more about it here:
https://www.conceptcarz.com/profile/20195,24174/1892-philion-road-carraige.aspx