TWO RARE CDVS OF PHOTOGRAPHER GEORGE BILL OF THE FISKE EXPEDITION

[Shotgun Steve]

Lot of 2, both anonymous, but almost certainly taken by Illingworth. The first carte (likely one of the pairs of a stereographic negative taken on the expedition) shows Bill standing in a small punt on the Missouri River loaded with personal gear and photographic equipment. A large crate (perhaps holding a portable dark tent) is clearly visible with stenciled Illingworth & Bill / Photographers / Fisk's Montana / Expedition / 1866 aimed directly at the viewer. A large dog lies casually on a trunk. In the mid-distance is a small log boom with a man seat at its edge.

The second carte is a hand-tinted studio portrait of Bill, perhaps taken on his return from Montana. He casually lounges in patched clothing and sports a pair of tinted American Indian moccasins. A Springfield rifle that appears to have been shortened to carbine length is cradled in the crook of his arm.

William Henry Illingworth was born in Leeds, England and immigrated with his parents to Philadelphia. In 1850, his family relocated to St. Paul, Minnesota. At age 20, he moved to Chicago to study wet plate photography. Shortly after Illingworth's return to St. Paul in 1866, he joined Captain James L. Fisk's second expedition to the Montana Territory. Working with photographer, business partner and expedition member George Bill, Illingworth produced 30 stereographs from this expedition. Illingworth later worked as a photographer for railroad construction crews.

The photographs taken on the Fisk Expedition were never widely distributed, and are quite rare. They are generally acknowledged to be some of the earliest wet plate images of scenes on the Northern Plains and Rockies. A pair of exceptionally historic images.

Provenance: The Dave Delling Collection of Western Americana

[Dr. Bob]

Way COOL!!  Thanks!