Hello NCOWS,
Just a few more great "Old West Cowboy' photos with narrative. Two Flints
TWO YOUNG COWBOYS "GUNS, BOWIE KNIVES, RIFLES" ca. 1880 These two Cowboys have all the accouterments for the Wild West and the location "New Mexico, Territory". Man on left: Over and under shotgun, Bowie knife, cartridge belt with six-shooter. Man on right: Winchester, Bowie knife, cartridge belt with six-shooter and also long rifle cartridge belt. These cowboys are ready for action. Whittick & Son, photographers, Albuquerque, N. M.
YOUNG COWBOY DISPLAYS A MERWIN-HULBERT REVOLVER - 1/6TH PLATE TINTYPE - ca.1875. This cowboy has an unusual Merwin & Hulbert Pocket Army revolver in this tintype, distinguished by the unique center-scoop cylinder flutes and spur hammer. He is also chomping on a cigar. The image has good contrast and tone, with minor spotting.
KANSAS SCOUT WITH BOWIE KNIFE, HOLSTERED PISTOL AND WINCHESTER 1880s. Great cabinet card studio image of a Kansas scout with all the accoutrements: fringed jacket, Bowie knife, cartridge belt, holstered pistol, Winchester and knee-high boots. The photographer of this great image is C. E. Koentz, Onaga, Kansas.
ARMED ARIZONA COWBOYS - CABINET CARD - ca 1885-95. This is a spectacular, gold-rimmed maroon cabinet card featuring one of the finest images known of three armed cowboys, ranchers or lawmen. The unmarked albumen card measures 4.25"x 6.5" overall and is in near mint condition. The men have a total of six pistols, three of which are 7.5 inch barreled Colt Single Action Army "Peacemakers". The man to the right of the image has an ivory-gripped Colt in a "Cheyenne" style tooled double-loop holster. The center man has a double holster rig, and one of his smaller pistols is a "Bulldog". There is also writing in the negative on the sombrero of the man in the center, which is "I.P.C.". This is possibly some sort of Commission designation as the card was purchased from a family's estate sale in Prescott, Arizona. There is a Southwestern woven rug on the chair behind them and a hunting dog at their feet. There is significant information contained within the photo to perhaps warrant future preliminary identification of these men. This is an important, rare and desirable image of armed men with a fine display of cowboy weaponry.
DESIRABLE WOLVERTON CABINET OF TWO LAWMEN AND THEIR GUNS, ca 1890-1900. Handsome image of two unnamed lawmen posing proudly with their Winchesters.
COWBOY WITH COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY - ca.1875-1890. A wonderfully expressive tintype portrait of a rough Cowboy chomping on his cigar, featuring a nickel-plated Colt Single Action Army and holster rig. The cowboy has pulled the Colt "Peacemaker" out of the holster and turned it around so that it faces outward. He is wearing leather chaps, a bandana, a hat, vest and boots. There is a whiskey bottle next to him on the pedestal. A great original tintype image of an iconic Western cowboy.
JOHN SLAUGHTER'S TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA TERRITORY COWBOYS - C.S. FLY - CABINET CARD - circa 1879-80. This is a great early Arizona Territory image from C.S. Fly of three identified cowboys with John Slaughter's Ranch outfit. The men are identified on the reverse in pencil as, "Wake Benge, Tad Roland, and Jeff Lewis - Cowboys for John H. Slaughter in July 1879 all came to Arizona with Mr. Slaughter's first herd. The first two (Begne and Roland) went back for the second (herd)." The Cabinet card is in fine condition with great contrast and tonality, and measures 4.25"x 6.5" on a thin card. The purple round stamp imprint of C.S. Fly is also on the reverse.
John Horton Slaughter (1841-1922) gained much fame as a Texas Ranger, Indian fighter, and Confederate veteran in Texas, but it was not until he went to Tombstone, A.T. that he made his fortune in ranching. Slaughter also later became the sheriff of Cochise County, and was known as a fearless lawman and killer of many thieves. The cowboy in this image, Tad Roland, is mentioned several times in the reference Southwest of John H. Slaughter by Allen A. Erwin. The reference states on page 136 in relation to his first drive, "John Slaughter had some of the worst outlaws in the country on his trail drive; one of these had left the James Gang to get a new start. Some of his good hands were Billy Grimes, Wake Benge, Jeff Lewis, Tad Roland, Billy Claiborne, and Tom Cochran." Billy Claiborne later worked for the Clanton-McLowery gang and while at the O.K. Corral gunfight with the Earps he notoriously ran away. He was later killed in 1882 by Earp ally "Buckskin" Frank Leslie, just outside of the Oriental Saloon in Tombstone. Roland must have been important to Slaughter as he worked for him until his death at the age of 34. Roland found Slaughter's ranch for him in south Arizona through a land grant he had inspected, and once lost $500 of Slaughter's money in a fixed poker game, but worked off his debt until his death. A C.S. Fly image of identified and important cowboys of this era should be considered extremely rare.
TOUGH WORKING COWBOYS OF YANKON, SOUTH DAKOTA - CABINET CARD - ca.1890. This spectacular photograph of common ranch workingmen or cowboys is a classic image. It is unusual for men to be photographed in their tattered working gear in a studio setting. Photography was relatively expensive for the time and most people tended to wear the nicest clothes that they owned, or the flashiest gear they could find, either from a friend or props from the photographer himself. This fine cabinet card has exceptional contrast, tone and focus and measures 4.25"x 6.5". The photographer H. Bruhn of Yanton, S.D, marked the card at the bottom in gold print. A pure and original Western image.
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