An exceptional photo album documenting the Wounded Knee Massacre and scenes in and around Pine Ridge Agency in the year 1891. Album is 7 x 10 in, bound in burgundy buckram, containing 52 boudoir-size albumen prints, approx. 4 x 7 in. to 6 x 8 in., most with credit in the negative to Northwestern Photo Co., Chadron, Nebraska. That outfit's proprietor, George Trager (1861-1948) photographed most of the views made December 1890 to January 1891 and his partner Clarence Moreledge photographed another series of views on July 4, 1891. Cowan's has never seen a Wounded Knee album this extensive in our 20+ years and several of the photographs we have never seen in person or even published in photographic histories of the event, such as Jensen, Carter & Paul's Eyewitness at Wounded Knee. All of the most well-known Wounded Knee scenes are present, including "Bird's Eye View of 7th Cav. Camp at Wounded Knee S.D.before the Fight With Chief Big Foot's Band Dec. 29th 1891," the views of US military and Indian scout groups posed together, and views taken on New Years Day, 1891 showing the battlefield following the massacre, Chief Big Foot's contorted corpse, the gathering of the Sioux dead, burial of the frozen bodies in the mass grave surrounded by US soldiers, and Buffalo Bill Cody and General Miles inspecting the scene on horseback. Lesser seen photographs include portraits of the "Leaders of the Hostile Indians" Chiefs Two Strike, Crow Dog and High Hawk, by themselves and with Buffalo Bill and Major Burke, "Disarming Hostile Indians" showing Indians laying down their arms as US Cavalry lines the ridge above them, a view of "Capt. Taylor's Noted Indian Scouts," Chief Fast Thunder's Camp, Red Cloud's home, and more. Also included are photographs taken on and around July 4, 1891, attributed to Trager's partner Clarence Moreledge, who resorted to saloon robbery soon after breaking his partnership with Trager. These include general views of Pine Ridge Agency and its school, series of photographs of an Omaha dance, Sioux Indians dancing the Scalp Dance, Sioux gathering for beef issue day and waiting in line for rations, "A Sioux Graveyard" showing several simple wood caskets placed on and around a bed frame, Two Strike and Crow Dog's camp, and many more. Of particular note is a photograph titled "Troop B Ogallala Indian Scouts" showing the well-outfitted scouts posed with their lieutenant, John J. Pershing, the future General of the Armies during World War I, and a fine photograph of US soldiers posed around a Hotchkiss gun. A copy portrait of Sitting Bull is followed by portraits of Chief Flying Horse, The Misses Few Tails, and Indian Policeman Fast Horse, all posed in front of the same muslin backdrop painted with scenes of Indians in battle. The album is stamped several times "These Views Made By Frank E. Pilbeam/ Hermosa S. Dak.", and "Frank Pilbeam/ Photographer/ Lansing, Mich." Though Pilbeam is clearly not responsible for the views and we could find no record of him ever being in South Dakota and only a few references of a Frank Pilbeam in Michigan, where he ran an amusement company, the album was recently found in a home near Lansing. A rare and remarkable find. A comparable album is unlikely to surface again anytime soon. Condition: Album pages are slightly warped and lightly soiled, with some stains mostly confined to the margins. Most prints are very good with above average tonality, especially considering that most Northwest Photo Co. prints we have handled are typically rather faded. Some do exhibit light foxing, and four have some spots of missing albumen from sticking to the opposite page.
An exceptional photo album documenting the Wounded Knee Massacre and scenes in and around Pine Ridge Agency in the year 1891. Album is 7 x 10 in, bound in burgundy buckram, containing 52 boudoir-size albumen prints, approx. 4 x 7 in. to 6 x 8 in., most with credit in the negative to Northwestern Photo Co., Chadron, Nebraska. That outfit's proprietor, George Trager (1861-1948) photographed most of the views made December 1890 to January 1891 and his partner Clarence Moreledge photographed another series of views on July 4, 1891. Cowan's has never seen a Wounded Knee album this extensive in our 20+ years and several of the photographs we have never seen in person or even published in photographic histories of the event, such as Jensen, Carter & Paul's Eyewitness at Wounded Knee. All of the most well-known Wounded Knee scenes are present, including "Bird's Eye View of 7th Cav. Camp at Wounded Knee S.D.before the Fight With Chief Big Foot's Band Dec. 29th 1891," the views of US military and Indian scout groups posed together, and views taken on New Years Day, 1891 showing the battlefield following the massacre, Chief Big Foot's contorted corpse, the gathering of the Sioux dead, burial of the frozen bodies in the mass grave surrounded by US soldiers, and Buffalo Bill Cody and General Miles inspecting the scene on horseback. Lesser seen photographs include portraits of the "Leaders of the Hostile Indians" Chiefs Two Strike, Crow Dog and High Hawk, by themselves and with Buffalo Bill and Major Burke, "Disarming Hostile Indians" showing Indians laying down their arms as US Cavalry lines the ridge above them, a view of "Capt. Taylor's Noted Indian Scouts," Chief Fast Thunder's Camp, Red Cloud's home, and more. Also included are photographs taken on and around July 4, 1891, attributed to Trager's partner Clarence Moreledge, who resorted to saloon robbery soon after breaking his partnership with Trager. These include general views of Pine Ridge Agency and its school, series of photographs of an Omaha dance, Sioux Indians dancing the Scalp Dance, Sioux gathering for beef issue day and waiting in line for rations, "A Sioux Graveyard" showing several simple wood caskets placed on and around a bed frame, Two Strike and Crow Dog's camp, and many more. Of particular note is a photograph titled "Troop B Ogallala Indian Scouts" showing the well-outfitted scouts posed with their lieutenant, John J. Pershing, the future General of the Armies during World War I, and a fine photograph of US soldiers posed around a Hotchkiss gun. A copy portrait of Sitting Bull is followed by portraits of Chief Flying Horse, The Misses Few Tails, and Indian Policeman Fast Horse, all posed in front of the same muslin backdrop painted with scenes of Indians in battle. The album is stamped several times "These Views Made By Frank E. Pilbeam/ Hermosa S. Dak.", and "Frank Pilbeam/ Photographer/ Lansing, Mich." Though Pilbeam is clearly not responsible for the views and we could find no record of him ever being in South Dakota and only a few references of a Frank Pilbeam in Michigan, where he ran an amusement company, the album was recently found in a home near Lansing. A rare and remarkable find. A comparable album is unlikely to surface again anytime soon. Condition: Album pages are slightly warped and lightly soiled, with some stains mostly confined to the margins. Most prints are very good with above average tonality, especially considering that most Northwest Photo Co. prints we have handled are typically rather faded. Some do exhibit light foxing, and four have some spots of missing albumen from sticking to the opposite page.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
