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Exceptionally Rare and original, 1883 Buffalo Bill\'s Wild West unpublished and likely one of a kind, Large Size, Card Mount Photograph of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his first partner in the Wild West Show business, the world famous Marksman and Trap Shooter William “Doc” Carver” along with a number of other Cowboy and Indian Performers and members of management of “Buffalo Bill and Doc Carver’s Wild West Rocky Mountain and Prairie Exhibition” - the first traveling Wild West Show in the world and Bill Cody’s first foray into the world of Wild West Shows. This Photograph was the personal property of Buffalo Bill Cody and descended directly in the Cody family to his great-granddaughter Patricia Ann \"Patsy\" Garlow - granddaughter of Cody\'s daughter Irma.
This fascinating and historically important, Card Mount Photograph measures approx. 7 1/2\" by 9 1/2\" and is mounted on its original card mount (overall size of mount is approx. 8\" by 10\"). The Image is oval shaped and features a somewhat elaborate border in the negative. Pictured at the center of the group is a relatively young Buffalo Bill Cody with Doc Carver seated to his left and surrounded by other members of the Traveling Show.
We have been able to identify some of the other men in the Photograph. Standing directly behind Cody is Charles A. Burgess who was known at various times as Nebraska Charlie, Wild Charlie and Dr. C. A. Burgess. As a child he lived on the Pawnee reservation. There was a book written about Burgess in 1882 titled “The Adventurous Life of ‘Nebraska Charlie’ – Charles E. Burgess – The Boy Medicine Man of the Pawnees” by Col. Prentiss Ingraham. He was later a stage actor, presumably in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show 1n 1880 at the age of 23 he became a stage actor and in 1883 began a number of years as the Indian Translator with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. In 1890, at the age of 33, in San Francisco, Charles would buy the business of Giesue Rottanzi, who produced Pawnee Long Life Bitters, Pawnee Bitters, Pawnee Indian Too-Re, Pawnee Indian Relief (pictured at left from ) and other patent medicines – he then was known as “Dr. C. A. Burgess”.
The Native American Indian in the front row on the left is Spotted Horse and the Brave on the right wearing the bear claw necklace is White Eagle. Both appeared with Cody’s Wild West in the early years. Interestingly, in the foreground in front of the Group are a number of Band Instruments.
The back of the Mount carries the mark of the Photographer - Louie P. Hunster of Springfield, Ohio. Hunster (ca 1857-?), was an Ohio-born, African American artist and photographer who was active in Springfield between 1874 and 1889, with a studio located at 13 1/2 E. Main Street.
Our cursory research was able to identify a few of the men in this Image and all signs point to it having been taken in 1883 – the only years that Bill Cody and Doc Carver performed together in their Wild West Show.
Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody) started a Wild West Exhibition in 1883 with Doc Carver under the name \"Rocky Mountain and Prairie Exhibition\". The partners argued and split up after a very short time, and in 1884 Buffalo Bill teamed up with Nate Salsbury and Captain A. H. Bogardus to put the \"show\" on the road under the name \"Buffalo Bill\'s Wild West\". This was the fabled Wild West Show which lasted until 1909 when it was joined with Pawnee Bill\'s show under the name \"Buffalo Bill\'s Wild West and Pawnee Bill\'s Far East\".
Provenance: This fantastic Photograph descended directly in the family of Irma Louise Cody Garlow, Buffalo Bill Cody\'s last surviving child. Buffalo Bill and his wife Louisa Frederici Cody (1843-1921) had four children but only their two daughters - Arta (1866-1904) and the baby Irma (1883-1918) lived to adulthood. Irma married Frederick Harrison Garlow Sr. (1880-1918) and had 3 children - Frederick Harrison Garlow Jr. (1911-1985); William Joseph Garlow (changed name to Cody) (1913-1992) and Jane Cody Garlow (1909-1987). When Irma and Fred Garlow Sr. died within three days of each other during the influenza pandemic of 1918, the three young children were cared for by their Grandmother Louisa, wife of Buffalo Bill Cody. Fred Garlow Jr. married Margaret Southerland and they had two children Patricia Ann (b.1948) and Mark Frederick (b. 1952). The Photograph offered here was the property of Patricia Ann \"Patsy\" Garlow, Buffalo Bill\'s direct great-granddaughter. It was the property of the Cody-Garlow family and was originally the property of \"William F. Buffalo Bill\" Cody. This Photograph spent most of the last half of the 20th century on loan to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center of the West and there is a pencil identification mark on the reverse from that Museum Collection.
We have been unable to locate any examples of this Photograph in any Museum or Institutional collection and, given the fact that it was originally the property of Buffalo Bill and his family, we believe that this is likely a unique, one of a kind Photograph acquired by Cody from the original African American photographer.
This rare and wonderful, 1883 Western Americana / Buffalo Bill\'s Wild West Card Mount Photograph is in very good condition. The Photograph exhibits sharp focus, strong contrast and rich, warm tonality. There is a small spot of light soiling at 9:00 o’clock in the margin and 2 small spots of staining below the instruments in the foreground. The card mount has 2 chips along the left hand edge that appear to attest to the fact that the Image was once held in a ringed binder of some sort. Ther is some other edge wear and soiling to the mount that does not affect the Photo itself. With a quality matting and framing the Photo will display beautifully.
An exceptionally rare and likely unique, 1883 Buffalo Bill\'s Wild West unpublished and likely one of a kind, Large Size, Card Mount Photograph of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his first partner in the Wild West Show business, the world famous Marksman and Trap Shooter William “Doc” Carver” along with a number of other Cowboy and Indian Performers and members of management of “Buffalo Bill and Doc Carver’s Wild West Rocky Mountain and Prairie Exhibition” and worthy of a place at the center of even the most advanced, museum quality Buffalo Bill collection or library!!
Be sure to check out this seller’s other sales for a number of other 19th and early 20th century, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Items (including one of a kind, ca1905 Street Parade Photos, an exceptionally rare 1883 Show Program, and an 1875 CDV Photo of a young Bill Cody) which are also being offered for sale this week on !!
Overseas shipping is extra and cost will be quoted at buyers request. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax.
Please check out other early and interesting items offered by this seller on . Click Here to See Our Items We Have for Sale in the Gallery and Click Here to Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers List.
Notes about Shipping Charges and the \"Detailed Seller Rating\" Star System:
The amount quoted for Shipping & Handling is calculated by and is equal to the EXACT amount charged by the Post Office plus a $1.00 \"packing fee\" - the $1.00 fee is our only compensation for the virgin packing materials we use on all of our professionally packaged boxes as well as our cost for the salaried help that does most of our packing - as I am sure you can see, we make NO profit on the Shipping charges and, in fact, our costs are usually greater than the $1.00 fee.
ATTENTION FRIENDS!!!
We are pleased to announce the start up of a second weekly sale by WALNUTTS-2.0!!!
The next generation of NUTS have decided to take a crack at listing some of the hundreds of items that we have accumulated over the past 38 years.
Click Here to See What WALNUTTS-2.0 is Offering in this week’s sale!!
Rest assured that WALNUTTS2 will be offering the same high standard of customer service and 100% unconditional satisfaction guarantee that you have found here in our weekly sales.
The \"young\'uns\" will be starting off slow as they learn the ropes but we ask that you support them as you have supported us over the past 20+ years!!
On Dec-09-18 at 09:36:34 PST, seller added the following information:
PLEASE NOTE: It has been brought to our attention by a long time collector and customer, that the fellow sitting to the left of Bill Cody is NOT Doc Carver but rather another cast member or member of Buffalo Bill\'s Wild West management.
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