#196 – Incredible Find 5 Tintypes Sioux Indians Circa 1860s -1870 – This great group of tintypes was purchased as a set from a good friend who hunts rare photos. I saw them and had to have them… I haven’t owned anything like them ever in the forty years that I have hunted antiques, and I think they are freaking fabulous. Look at the photo illustrations carefully… there is some incredible detail… the illustrations will tell you more than I can in text. I will comment on some of the aspects… one of the Sioux is apparently a Law-Man with a sheriff’s badge on his breast. The horizontal view tintype features a white man in the center who may have been an Indian Agent. A teenage brave with silver arm bands is shown in two of the tintypes. One view is incredible with a woman SMILING while looking over the brave’s shoulder as he READS something. These tintypes are the real deal… actual “from life” images of real Sioux Indians as they looked and lived nearly 150 years ago. True wild west stuff.
Present with the lot is an identification note that came with the horizontal image that states those pictured are: Top Row ( Red Eagle, Goes To war & blackface) Bottom Row (Jamies Red Eagle, Joe American Horse, Assie Goes to War). We did some research and found some information about those present. In 2008 Joe American Horse was 72 years old, and took part in the reburial of his grandfather Chief American Horse who had died in 1908. Chief American Horse, an Oglala Lakota warrior and spiritual leader, died in Pine Ridge in 1908. And was a peacemaker who led a delegation to Congress in 1891 to testify about the 1890 wounded Knee Massacre. Which resulted in a re-issue of rations and in fairer treatment of the Lakota. Surprisingly, the cost of the re-burial was paid for by Yoko Ono. (No joke)

Red Eagle was a known friend of Chief Sleepy Eye. Chief Red Eagle, in whose teepee Sleepy Eyes died in in 1859, saw to his burial on an island in Bullhead lake in the presence of Red Eagles 12 Year old son. Sleepy Eyes was later reburied in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota in 1902 with Red Eagle present for this as well. This initial research needs more digging, but what we can know for sure is that this is one heck of an historical lot of photos. All the tintypes are solid and stable, but they show some rough handling and evidence of being displayed hanging on nails at one time. The illustrations clearly show rubs and age spots. I had thought researching US Navy records was difficult, then I tried these Native Americans. Indians are a lot harder to research… but the job on this lot is started and is historically important. Feel free to call for more details… I assure you that this rare group of images would be nearly impossible to find again on the market… they are CDV sized tintype images. $4500.00