Log in or Sign up
Antiques Board
Home
Forums
>
Antique Forums
>
Ephemera and Photographs
>
Shirtless Wild Bill Hickok tintype c.1870's.. input?
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="rybu5000, post: 9436479, member: 81261"]Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place, and once more in advance for the length.</p><p>Some time ago I acquired a pair of highly unusual tintypes from a local collector's estate. I've attached them here as files. They are unusual for several reasons:</p><p><br /></p><ol> <li> The photos are of different men in the same pose, standing in the same spot with the same backdrop. These fellows went to the studio together to have their photos taken.<br /> <br /> </li> <li>The younger fellow, by Victorian standards, appears to be underdressed (correct me if i'm wrong), wearing only an undershirt with no coat/vest and a pair of pants that are way too long. He wears a chain at the waistline, as does the other man, which I assume is connected to a pocket watch. The older fellow is rockin some dapper pinstriped pants and.. Boots. That’s it. What in the world is going on here? From what I understand, in the 1870's, men didn't just take their shirts off all willy-nilly for.. well, just about anything, let alone a photo op with a younger male friend at a professional studio! <br /> <br /> </li> <li>The older gent bears a downright uncanny resemblance to James Butler Hickok (see photos). Like, down to the bald spot above his forehead. They even appear to be the same height. Hickok was 6'3". I know, I know, it's not him. I'm not fully convinced, myself.. HOWEVER this is when things get very strange.<br /> <br /> </li> <li>These photos were taken in a studio in Leavenworth, Kansas, by a photographer named Ebenezer Elijah (E.E.) Henry. Henry was a very prolific artist, best known for photographing several famous people such as Buffalo Bill Cody, Boston and Margaret Custer, and.. Wild Bill Hickok. Old Ebenezer used this backdrop extensively throughout his long career, with many credited examples online. (See the "Everhard" collection. Link attached).<br /> <br /> </li> <li>From what photos of Hickok I could find, I’ve reasoned that if this was in fact the same man (humor me), the photo would have had to have been taken very shortly before his untimely death in 1976. This is because he has a full head of long hair in nearly all his known photos; he was, however, reportedly going bald in his last couple years, and in some of his later photos his hair is visibly thinning.<br /> <br /> </li> <li>The man in the photo has one eye that is halfway closed, possibly due to inflammation - a common symptom of trachoma, an eye condition which Hickok reportedly suffered from. What’s more, in early 1976 - months before he died - he was diagnosed with glaucoma and severe conjunctivitis by a doctor in Kansas City, Missouri.. Approximately 30 miles from Leavenworth, where Bill had once lived. Traveling from KC to Deadwood would also mean passing right through Leavenworth. Surely he would have stopped momentarily to see some old friends or acquaintances. Or, if nothing else, find a poker table and do what he essentially did for a living.<br /> <br /> </li> <li>On the floor in the same spot in both photos is what I believe to be a carpet bag. At first I thought this was placed by the photographer simply to add some depth to the image. However, I noticed that the bag does not appear in any of the 140-or-so portraits I’ve seen accredited to Henry. Nor does he really use much at all as far as props. I believe the presence of the satchel is more personal to the men photographed.. Symbolic. Hickok was very likely living out of a satchel just like the one in the images. He was also arrested multiple times for vagrancy in his final few months.<br /> <br /> </li> <li>Finally, note the guy’s expression. His look is not so much uncomfortable or embarrassed, but perhaps slightly begrudging, or annoyed. Like he’s merely fulfilling a debt. He was probably acquainted with Henry already, as he doesn’t have the mortified look one would expect on a man from that era while he’s half naked in front of a stranger being photographed. These last two are more conjectured, so disregard them if you like.<br /> </li> </ol><p>There’s more, but from here things start to become more theoretical, so I’ll leave it at that. Like I said, I’m not fully convinced. It’s just so outlandish. But holy hell that’s a lot of very unlikely coincidences stacked on top of a man who just happens to look like a balding, gimp-eyed hobo version of Wild Bill. Can someone please tell me it’s not him? Anyhow, besides all that.. wHeRe Is HiS sHiRt!? Any info or input y’all can spare would be immensely appreciated. If nothing else, I hope you found this to be an interesting post. </p><p>Sorry again for the length.</p><p><br /></p><p>Everhard collection: <a href="https://www.cartermuseum.org/artists/e-e-henry" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cartermuseum.org/artists/e-e-henry" rel="nofollow">https://www.cartermuseum.org/artists/e-e-henry</a>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="rybu5000, post: 9436479, member: 81261"]Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place, and once more in advance for the length. Some time ago I acquired a pair of highly unusual tintypes from a local collector's estate. I've attached them here as files. They are unusual for several reasons: [LIST=1] [*] The photos are of different men in the same pose, standing in the same spot with the same backdrop. These fellows went to the studio together to have their photos taken. [*]The younger fellow, by Victorian standards, appears to be underdressed (correct me if i'm wrong), wearing only an undershirt with no coat/vest and a pair of pants that are way too long. He wears a chain at the waistline, as does the other man, which I assume is connected to a pocket watch. The older fellow is rockin some dapper pinstriped pants and.. Boots. That’s it. What in the world is going on here? From what I understand, in the 1870's, men didn't just take their shirts off all willy-nilly for.. well, just about anything, let alone a photo op with a younger male friend at a professional studio! [*]The older gent bears a downright uncanny resemblance to James Butler Hickok (see photos). Like, down to the bald spot above his forehead. They even appear to be the same height. Hickok was 6'3". I know, I know, it's not him. I'm not fully convinced, myself.. HOWEVER this is when things get very strange. [*]These photos were taken in a studio in Leavenworth, Kansas, by a photographer named Ebenezer Elijah (E.E.) Henry. Henry was a very prolific artist, best known for photographing several famous people such as Buffalo Bill Cody, Boston and Margaret Custer, and.. Wild Bill Hickok. Old Ebenezer used this backdrop extensively throughout his long career, with many credited examples online. (See the "Everhard" collection. Link attached). [*]From what photos of Hickok I could find, I’ve reasoned that if this was in fact the same man (humor me), the photo would have had to have been taken very shortly before his untimely death in 1976. This is because he has a full head of long hair in nearly all his known photos; he was, however, reportedly going bald in his last couple years, and in some of his later photos his hair is visibly thinning. [*]The man in the photo has one eye that is halfway closed, possibly due to inflammation - a common symptom of trachoma, an eye condition which Hickok reportedly suffered from. What’s more, in early 1976 - months before he died - he was diagnosed with glaucoma and severe conjunctivitis by a doctor in Kansas City, Missouri.. Approximately 30 miles from Leavenworth, where Bill had once lived. Traveling from KC to Deadwood would also mean passing right through Leavenworth. Surely he would have stopped momentarily to see some old friends or acquaintances. Or, if nothing else, find a poker table and do what he essentially did for a living. [*]On the floor in the same spot in both photos is what I believe to be a carpet bag. At first I thought this was placed by the photographer simply to add some depth to the image. However, I noticed that the bag does not appear in any of the 140-or-so portraits I’ve seen accredited to Henry. Nor does he really use much at all as far as props. I believe the presence of the satchel is more personal to the men photographed.. Symbolic. Hickok was very likely living out of a satchel just like the one in the images. He was also arrested multiple times for vagrancy in his final few months. [*]Finally, note the guy’s expression. His look is not so much uncomfortable or embarrassed, but perhaps slightly begrudging, or annoyed. Like he’s merely fulfilling a debt. He was probably acquainted with Henry already, as he doesn’t have the mortified look one would expect on a man from that era while he’s half naked in front of a stranger being photographed. These last two are more conjectured, so disregard them if you like. [/LIST] There’s more, but from here things start to become more theoretical, so I’ll leave it at that. Like I said, I’m not fully convinced. It’s just so outlandish. But holy hell that’s a lot of very unlikely coincidences stacked on top of a man who just happens to look like a balding, gimp-eyed hobo version of Wild Bill. Can someone please tell me it’s not him? Anyhow, besides all that.. wHeRe Is HiS sHiRt!? Any info or input y’all can spare would be immensely appreciated. If nothing else, I hope you found this to be an interesting post. Sorry again for the length. Everhard collection: [URL]https://www.cartermuseum.org/artists/e-e-henry[/URL][/QUOTE]
Your name or email address:
Do you already have an account?
No, create an account now.
Yes, my password is:
Forgot your password?
Stay logged in
Antiques Board
Home
Forums
>
Antique Forums
>
Ephemera and Photographs
>
Shirtless Wild Bill Hickok tintype c.1870's.. input?
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Registered Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...