TINTYPE OF A BUFFALO HUNTER WITH HIS SHARPS CARBINE

[Shotgun Steve]

He wears a fringed canvas jacket and pants. First time I seen canvas fringed in this era.

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

Do you know what year or where this was taken?  Thanks.

[Shotgun Steve]

Im' sorry J.D. That is all the information I could find on this image.

Shotgun

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

That's too bad.  It's a great picture.

[Stillwater]

Look at the sharps rifle and you will see this image, is a reversed image, common in early photography.

Bill

[James Hunt]

Unless there is clear provenance for this guy being a buffalo hunter, I'd doubt it. First, look at that weapon. It is a slant breech Sharps carbine (59) - the weapon John Brown packed but a very, very poor choice for killing buffalo. You'd have to run your horse next to the critter, stick it in his ear and hope for the best. Very underpowered for that work. The carbine came along a decade before Buffalo Bill Cody was working for the railroad, and a good 15 or more years prior to the commercial hunting of hides.

While the attire might represent something a "scout" might wear, I have never seen a commercial hide hunter dressed up in attire like that. They were practical men.

If this picture were dated during the years of commercial hide hunting I'd write it off as a studio shot with photographer's props. If it were taken during the years of that Carbines production it would be well before buffalo hunting for either the railroad or later yet, hides.

Interesting you should comment that it is canvas he is wearing. I agree that for leather it just doesn't look quite right but how can you tell it is canvas? If it were I'd really wonder if it was not a theatrical costume. I'd have a hard time believing that any reputable frontiersman would be sporting fringed canvas.

I would not be basing my NCOWS persona on this fella! 

[Shotgun Steve]

I agree that this photo is most likely a studio prop photo. As far as knowing that his
clothing is canvas...I do not. It looks like canvas to me. Also the description
"He wears a fringed canvas jacket and pants." was the description that accompanied
the photo on the original site. And gentlemen please remember that I am posting the information
that I find with the photos. The information for the most part is not "My" personal description of the item.

Shotgun

[Delmonico]

I would not be basing my NCOWS persona on this fella! 

A dude from back east of the type to get his picture taken with props?  Sounds pretty realistic to me, were lots of them in the Old West.  Have helped a couple folks with that type personna, what's not historically correct about that?

[River City John]

Here's a neat copy of some 'theatrical' Scouts, including Wild Bill Hickock second from left.

[Delmonico]

As far as the "canvas buckskins" that are in the picture, they have that fake look to them, almost like vinyl which we know did not exist.

There are other pictures with fake looking leather clothing like this dress some of us discussed a while back:



This lady was known to work rodeos and Wild West Shows.  Have seen that look on other studio pictures.  We never decided, but some of us wonder if not painted cloth simmilar to a Fish slicker.  The wrinkles in this dress sure look like the Fish Slicker wrinkles on the one on the wall across from my desk right now.

[Skeeter Lewis]

And thanks again, Steve, for your terrific photos. Skeet

[James Hunt]

Always an interesting photo RCJ: OK from memory I see the "Bill's", and I think Texas Jack - are the other two guy's known? (no fair using resource material)

I have always thought those were awfully neat mid 19th century long rifles (or Ohio rifles if you will). Note the really nice figured maple on Wild Bill's piece. I love long rifles. Wonder if those were used in their theatrical performance.

Shotgun Steve: Just so there is no mis-understanding I was not criticizing the posting of or the posted picture, rather commenting on its curious attributes.

And Del, hmmmm..., a persona based on a dude who has taken a studio shot for the folks back home - never thought of that, but why not.

[Delmonico]

Ya might want to try Ned Buntline or what ever his real name was, something Judson.   From Scouts of the Plains, Ned wrote the 3 act play in it's said two hours.

[Delmonico]

And Del, hmmmm..., a persona based on a dude who has taken a studio shot for the folks back home - never thought of that, but why not.

And from the photo's there were lots of them, although there were studios back east who did the same.   TR got his studio pictures back east.

Also one could do a Wild West Show personna since we know there were plenty of them also.   That would toss a curve and some of the "Clothes Nazi's."

[James Hunt]

Edward Zane Carroll Judson



I think I saw this guy at last summer's Nationals.

[Delmonico]

Edward Zane Carroll Judson



I think I saw this guy at last summer's Nationals.

Yep, a customer walked in the door and didn't have time to dig any deeper than the top of my head.

[Texas Lawdog]

He sorta looks like Trap.

[Delmonico]

He sorta looks like Trap.

Are you sayin' Trap is a liar?

[Delmonico]

Are you sayin' Trap is a liar?

I meant a teller of no-true tales.

[Shotgun Franklin]

Go back to the original photo in question and look at his hands. Whatever he did it wasn't easy work. He also has kind of a wornout look to his face.  Just because he wore studio props doesn't mean he wasn't so kinda outdoorsman.