Rare Jim Bridger Tintype Discovered

I recently was out running around looking for Mantiques,… and found this great old tintype of a frontiersman, that looked familiar to me. On the reverse it was written Laramie Wyo, so I took it to the master,…google, and I looked up images of early important people to wyomings history.
I could not believe it, it was Jim Bridger.
There are very few examples of photos of Jim Bridger, to date there are but four.
I compared the eyes, tip of the nose and the creases on the face, using an overlay, and they matched up exact. I will have the photo on display in the museum for anyone to visit.

James “Jim” Bridger (b. March 17, 1804 in richmond Va. – d. July 17, 1881 south side Kansas City /missourri) was among the foremost mountain men, trappers, scouts and guides who explored and trapped the Western United States during the decades of 1820-1850, as well as mediating between native tribes and encroaching whites. He was of English ancestry, and his family had been in North America since the early colonial period.

Jim Bridger had a strong constitution that allowed him to survive the extreme conditions he encountered walking the Rocky Mountains from what would become southern Colorado to the Canadian border. He had conversational knowledge of French, Spanish and several native languages. He would come to know many of the major figures of the early west, including Brigham Young, Kit Carson, George Armstrong Custer, John Fremont, Joseph meek, and John sutter.

Jim Bridger was well known during his life and after-wards as a teller of tall tales. Some of Bridger’s stories—about the geysers at Yellowstone, for example—proved to be true. Others were clearly intended to amuse. Thus, one of Bridger’s stories involved a “petrified forest” in which there were “petrified birds” singing “petrified songs” (though he may have seen the petrified trees in the Tower Junction area of what is now Yellowstone National Park). Over the years, Bridger became so associated with the tall-tale form that many stories invented by others were attributed to him.

Supposedly one of Bridger’s favorite yarns to tell to greenhorns was about being pursued by one hundred Cheyenne warriors. After being chased for several miles, Bridger found himself at the end of a box canyon, with the Indians bearing down on him. At this point, Bridger would go silent, prompting his listener to ask, “What happened then, Mr. Bridger?” Bridger would reply, “They killed me.”

Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bridger

Some really great items were recently sold off from the Devils Tower Museum.

Devils Tower Museum is part of Rogues Gallery and every now and then, the Museum sells items off items to acuire new items for the following years display.

Once again I headed out to an art show in Tucson Arizona. The Settlers West Gallery announces its annual Great American West exhibition on Saturday, November 20, 2010. As always I like to drive and hit every Antique store and junk shop on the way looking for treasures. Lisa and I had a great time and filled half the u haul with great American Indian and Western Americana items.
We found an early pair of Apache Moccasins, a Blackfeet tobacco bag, A real nice Antique Plains Indian Ash recurve bow and other great relics. The best piece was a pretty rare antique Northwest Coast figure. I am always going through Atique stores every free chance I get, its how I get out of the studio.

I about fell over when I found this little beauty. A real nice example of a Antique Southern Plains Indian Peyote Rattle. The Peyote Church came out shortly after the Ghost Dance craze was over. American Indians began a new cerimony and this is a good example from the early period of the peyote Church. It dates about 1910 and is peyote stiched with really fine, extra small antique seed beads. The twisted fringe is Indian brain tanned hide with a coating of a white natural material. The top is natural red dyed horse hair.

We found a Really nice Vintage Acoma Olla. Nice older thin walled Acoma Pueblo Pottery Olla. The paint is finely done and very graphic.

Silver Engraved Fleming Bit. This is a nice example of the fine crafmanship of the early Fleming engraved bits. The bit has great patina and many very nice sterling silver spots on the brow band, and cheek straps of the headstall.
This piece would look great hanging on a wall next to your Western Americana collection or Western Art collection. Antique cowboy bits and antique cowboy spurs add a great dimention to a western art collection.

A mint pair of vintage Crockett Spurs from the 1940’s or early 50’s. Also recently sold was an early Navajo Buffalo Hide Rattle.

This early Fur Trade Kettle is marked HBC for the Hudson Bay Trade Co.
This is a rare example of the 1700’s style Indian brass trade kettles that were traded during the Fur Trade Era. The kettle has a square handle and riveted iron strap that is had forged. The Brass trade Kettles that came out later were marked American Brass Kettle Co. and W hayden. These were traded to the American Indians in the 1850 – 1860’s. This trade kettle with the Mark of the Hudson Bay Trading Co. is very rare and hard to find. Kettles like this were traded to the Native Americans for cooking and gathering water. Looks great in a house with a collection of Western Americana.

Early trade goods like this are seen in paintings by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell.

Nice 1880-1890 ash pipe stem and a Pipestone antique catlinite bowl.
This Antique Plains Indian Pipe came from Lamers Trading Post in Hardin Montana. It most likely is Crow but since American Indians are known for trading , It could have come from the Cheyenne or other Northern Plains nations. The Antique Indian pipe stem has nice file brands marking the sides and a great patina overall.

This is a good example of early Apache moccasins from the 1860’s. Early seed beads with the White center red or rose heart red trade beads. The Antique Apache Indian moccasins are completely sinew sewn. The bottoms are constructed of extra thick buffalo hide for protection against cactus and other hard desert plants. These antique beaded moccasins show great wear and use. They are a good example of the style worn during the Geronimo , Indian Wars period .
Antique Indian Beadwork from the Indian wars period is rare and prized by collectors.

This is one of the very old ones!!!
1890’s- 1910.
GREAT PATINA! Zuni Pottery Owl! This has been Pit Fired. It has the very old red black and white polychrome paint. The black has lightened to a dark chocolate brown from age. It’s in Great condition for it’s age no damage to speak of, just typical wear for something this age. The pot does have some age crazing in the paint typical of earlier American Indian pots.

Size is 6″ tall by 6″ across wing to wing.

A nice example of a Isleta Pueblo Pottery Olla.
This piece dates ca. 1890 – 1910
This antique Native American pottery ( isleta Pueblo) olla is small only about 3 inches tall, but is artistically very well designed with the cross motif.

Hand Carved Antique Native American Tarahumara Indian Violin w/ Horse hair Bow strings. It still has one of it’s sinew violin strings, the others have been replaced years ago by wire. Painted with green vermillion paint around cut out designs on the front. Amazing head carved into the top of the violin, I believe it’s an eagle. My guess is it’s from the turn of the century, shows great age.
Violins were introduced to the Tarahumara by the Spanish missionaries in the 1600’s. Since then, the Tarahumara have been hand carving these instruments. A talented Tarahumara musician is believed capable of communicating with divine beings and able to request good fortune from them.
Size of violin is 2 feet tall x 9 inces at widest part. The bow is 26 inches long. GREAT PATINA!!!

Antique Native american Navajo buffalo Hide Rattle.
The Navajo rattle dates prior to 1900 and shows great wear and patina. A fine example of an incised rattle. The lightning or power symbol is incised into the hide. Red and green vermillion paint show age cracks and oxidation.

Beautiful Vintage Fleming sterling silver engraved bit. The details on this bit are just stunning.
The antique silver engraved cheek pieces are 8 1/2 inches. Mouth is about 5 inches. Copper roller
Split ear headstall, reins & rein chains, it’s all there! Great Condition!
great piece of antique Western Americana.

Nootka Model Canoe from 1890 – 1910. This Antique Northwest Coast cedar carved canoe has the carved paddles and spears. The canoe is painted with blue and red vermilion trade paint. Northwest Coast Indian carved items are among the most collectable of Native American Artwork.

Original ca. 1917 Indian Tanned moose hide Art
by Lawrence Thimme.
Thimme left Dawson for Fairbanks in 1905. After the Alaska Gold Rush he created works of art celebrating Alaska history.

Images of Alaska through Historic Pyrography:

“Pyrography has a long history as a decorative technique outside the United States and became a popular hobby in America in the early 1900s with the availability of pyrographic kits and materials. Alaskans adapted the technique … [to burn] images onto moose hide and birch bark. They used pyrography to decorate personal and household items, create vacation mementos, illustrate Alaskan scenes, commemorate events, and honor organizations. Fairbanks residents have made and displayed pyrography in [their] homes and around the community since the turn of the last century.”

Original art from the Alaska Klondike.

Old Catlinite Pipestone Pipe Bowl. 1890’s GREAT Patina! SMOKED! Shows a lot of use . There are no cracks but typical wear. The shape of the bowl is very unusual because it was carved to look like a more European style American Indian pipe.

2″ 1/2 tall by 2″ wide

Very Old Antique Hand Carved Wood Burl Bowl. GREAT PATINA!!! Very Solid and Thick. Possibly Native American Indian. I would say it weighs around 6-8 lbs.
Great old west decorator item.