ABOUT ME:
My name is Emory Cantey. I am 74 years old. I am a born Texan who has lived in Oklahoma and Colorado in the past but happily home in Texas now. I have been a collector since I was 8 years old. I became a full time collector and some time dealer in 1966. My wife and I formed an antique company called Ourturn Antiques in 1989. We traveled around the country to Western Shows from 1989 until Approx. 1996 while also maintaining a mall space in Fort Worth, Texas. Being of independent means, we retired in 2000. Since then, I became solely a collector. I seldom sell or trade. When I need to lighten the load, I consign to auctions.
It has at this point really become fun without the dealing hassles. My heart is as a collector. I have many contacts who let me know when things I like are available. Two of my dealer/pickers (Ed and Tim) are the best in the business and totally loyal to me ( a very rare commodity today) but more about them later.
I purchased my first antique in 1955 when I was 8 years old. It was a average condition 41 cal. Colt Thunderer. I bought it with my father's help and supervision from Robert Abe's in NY City. It was a mail order and cost me 20.00, a lot in 1955. I earned the money by washing cars and mowing lawns. At that point, I caught the bug and became a collector. My father took me with him to NY twice and arranged with Bob Abel to let me stay with him while Dad worked ( he was an executive partner in his own Fort Worth law firm. He was an SEC specialist). Bob Abel was a crusty old yankee but he liked me and taught me a lot. I called him Uncle Bob.
In 1966-1967, I bought my first antique western images. In the beginning, they were to be used as display items for other things but very quickly they became a lasting, major interest. 55 years later and approx. 2000 images collected in house, I am still at it and still adding images to my collection and this site. Over 1000 hard images sold privately and at auction a few years ago. Some traded over the years but bulk retained.
At first, I advertised in magazines and collector's periodicals for tintypes, CDVs, and cabinet photos of western personalities, armed cowboys and buckskin dressed trappers and Scouts. I offered 50-75 dollars and up for each. I averaged several letters and xerox copies a week! It was hard to keep up with the offers but I bought all I could afford. I was single with a good job. Many established collectors made jokes and said I was offering way to much for worthless items. A very few years later, I was being contacted by those same collectors trying to buy just a couple to go with their guns and artifacts. I didn't sell. Still don't. Now they are worth 10, 20 times more and greater. It has been FUN! Of course, I pay what market demands from dealers and auctions but I still find many in the boonies and get fair offers from loyal contacts. They are still out there to find.
Through the years, I have been a rather shy collector and uncomfortable dealer. I never wanted to be in the public eye. I have written a few articles and put on some displays in gun shows but no more than 4-5 people outside my family have ever seen my collection or part thereof. I enjoy sharing with people I know.
My son designed my first website, www.canteymyerscollection.com. He is a high tech guy and really knows his fields. The first site was to show my Myers Collection, a collection of images of the Missouri Reb guerrillas and related. I have approx 100,000 serious visitors a year now and over 500,000 hits a year. Quite a lot for a historical site.
This new site, being designed by my son, Andrei Cantey, will House my American Western photograph collection. It will be quite a task to put on hundreds of images in several different areas and will take some time to accomplish but it will be fun and give me something to do in my golden years. Of course, I will be selective and some will not make the site for one reason or another.
I would like to thank my son, Andrei Cantey for making this site and the last possible. Secondly, I want to thank two close personal friends who have helped me find so many wonderful things over the years;
Tim Gordon ( the finest dealer and appraiser in Montana and a life long, loyal friend) and Edward Demmel ( the finest and luckiest Antique picker I have ever known).
Please note: NOTHING on this site is for sale or trade. Period. Also, I neither accept nor answer ANY negative emails. No negativity or criticism. If you disagree with me, fine. Save it for all those chat sessions on line who specialize in that kind of nay sayer. It bores me to death.
I am always open, however, to offers of new images to buy. However, I know all of the scams and fakes so don't waste your time offering phoney items.
Look, read, enjoy and, maybe, learn something about the old west from these images of it. That is my goal here. No charge! Look for my article on collecting soon in the articles section. Thanks and God Bless.I leave you with a quote from one of the greatest Americans that ever lived, John Wayne. It is a quote that I 100% agree with and have also tried to live by.
"I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends respect me. The others can do whatever the hell they please."
--John Wayne
