Cantey Collection

Interesting cabinet photograph by J. Deane Hilton, 443, STRAND W.C. London circa 1887-1888. This would be the period when the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show was in London. He is not identified which is unfortunate but not uncommon. It is a side view with him holding a knife in his left hand and a tomahawk in his right hand. He wears a Chief's headdress. Also a highly beaded bag. These images were taken to sell as souvenirs to the public after presenting copies to the individual. The Wild West Shows were highly enjoyed in England and Europe.

Another original cabinet photograph of an unknown, Wild West Show, trick shooting team in the 1880-1890 era. He is in the typical buckskin outfit with moccasins, while she is in Western attire. He hold the gun while she shoots which is, in my opinion, interesting as the bbl would get very Hot. Image is by W.C. Rowley, Elmira, N.Y.  This image had an erroneous pencil ID on the back identifying the man as Pawnee Bill  and the woman as Lillian Smith. It decidedly is NEITHER. This kind of identification is rife on the on-line auction sites to cheat the unsuspecting new collector so be careful and buy with a jaundiced eye.

Chief Rolling Thunder was a Penobscot American Indian born arounf 1858. His father was pure blood Kiowa and Mom Penobscot. He was married 4 times. He created his own business in 1886. He became a Medicine Man of the Kiowa tribe, advocate for Native American (INDIAN) Rights, and an entertainer who traveled the East Coast in his own Medicine Show for 40 years. He sold natural, herbal medicine.
In 1886 he regan touring with a 17 year old Caugnawaga Native American  named Louisa Stumpf. Her stage name was Betsy Gordon, Texas Lillie, and Prairie Flower. She was a Wild West Show trick Shot artist.  They traveled as well with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show until 1891 when they broke with it to form their own show. They had a son in 1892, named Rolling Thunder II. They were divorced in 1894. He remarried at 52 to a 20 year old woman who managed his Medicine shows for many years.  He died in 1830.

Small image from the personal collection of photographer John Tackett. It was later owned by the  Jim and Theresa Earl Collection. Tackett was the photographer who took the famous photos of the Daltons after the Coffeeville, Kansas raid. His photograph gallery was in Coffeeville. He later built this theatre there as well. After Emmett Dalton was released, Tackett, with Emmett Dalton, wrote, filmed, produced, and distributed a movie about the famous raid that starred Emmett Dalton.

The mount has been extensively trimmed in order to frame it in the past. However, this is still a valuable image. It is an albumen image circa 1880s by Bass, Socorro, N.M of an armed cowboy. New Mexico images of this subject matter are quite rare as New Mexico was a small population state. The beautiful, clear image shows a western cowboy in shotgun chaps, white shirt, bandana around his neck, boots and spurs,  wearing a western hat. He is wearing a Colt SAA with ivory grip in a triple loop, MARKED (cannot read mark) western holster. He is holding his lariat in both hands.  It is overall and outstanding and rare photograph.