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McCubbin

Robert G. McCubbin Western Photographs

Creator: Robert G. McCubbin
Dates: 1878-1905 and n.d.
Quantity: 4 inches
Accession: RC2019.001

Abstract

The collection is comprised of 47 historic photographs featuring people and places in the American West.

Biography/History

Robert G. McCubbin collected photographs of the American West for more than forty-five years. He focused primarily on images taken of outlaws or events related to the Wild West between the 1840s and early 1900s. McCubbin started collecting photographs to enhance his extensive book collection, but he quickly discovered a passion for the photographs themselves. He wanted to advance a more accurate photographic record by correcting misidentifications and locating previously unknown images of the Wild West.

Scope & Content Note

The Robert G. McCubbin Western Photographs is arranged by the lot number assigned to the items by Old West Events when the Robert G. McCubbin Collection was auctioned in January 2019. The lot numbers were maintained to provide easier accessibility and discoverability to the images through the auction catalog. The auction number is the third group of numbers in each photograph’s identification number (example: RC2019.001.005.01).

The auction catalog gives brief descriptions of each lot. The descriptions below were sourced from the catalog:

Lot 5 – Set of fifteen albumen boudoir photographs of the Townsend and Pickett Ranch. Each image measures about 4 1/4 x 7 1/4, mounted to 5 1/8 x 8 3/8 card. “Mitchell and DeGroff’s, Guthrie, Ind. Ter.” imprint on verso.
Lot 11 – Five cabinet cards of cowboys including William S. Hart playing solitaire
Lot 12 – One mounted photo and four cabinet cards of cowboys.
RC2019.001.012.01 written on verso “John M. Murphy with Pawnee Bill 1899.”
RC2019.001.012.05 signed on verso “Buck Taylor”
Lot 14 – Four cabinet cards of cowboys
RC2019.001.014.01 “Slaughter Cowboys” circa 1885, Douglas, Arizona Territory. Subjects identified on verso – James Pursley, Walter Fife, James G. Maxwell, Billy Riggs, J.H. McClure, Judge John Blake
Lot 15 – Four carte de visite images of cowboys
Lot 38 – Cabinet card of buffalo hunter, written on verso “Jan 10th 1878”
Lot 39 – Cabinet card of buffalo hunter
Lot 46 – Cabinet card of John Bruguier, “John Bruguier, Gov. Scout and Interpreter” printed on front
Lot 50 – Cabinet card of Buffalo Soldiers’ camp, “10th Cavalry in Camp / Indian War, 2nd outbreak / Chloride, M.M.” written on verso.
Lot 62 – Two tintypes of scouts
Lot 64 – Photograph of Lucille Mulhall, photo by E.M. Ward
Lot 65 – Photograph of a woman bullwhacker with team and wagons, black hills. Text printed on verso: “Grabill has on display a couple of views showing the lady familiarly known as, “the bullwhackeress” in the operation of cutting an ox in two with a whip. This woman’s name is Knudson or Canuteson. She is married, her husband driving a ten-yoke team of bulls, and they have both been on the road between Pierre and the Black Hills for six or seven years. Hers is a familiar figure in this country, and the crack of her whip a familiar sound. The couple drive their own teams – about fifteen yoke of cattle with five or six wagons – and are reputed to be worth some little money – From the Record, Sturgis, Dakota, Nov. 25, 1887.”
Lot 75 – Cabinet card of Calamity Jane, “Calamity Jane taken by R.L. Kelly Pierre SD/This is a genuine and rare picture of Calamity Jane, Emory Cantey, Jr. Collection. Circa 1901” written on verso
Lot 104 – Cabinet card of Little Raven, “Little Raven / Arapaho Chief” written on front, photographer’s stamp on verso identifies the location as Fort Sill, Indian Territory.
Lot 112 – Cabinet card of Crow Tail, Arikara, “Crow Tail. A minor chief of the Rees.” printed on slip affixed to the verso.
Lot 114 – Photograph of Quapaw man, “Harrison Quapaw of Baxter Springs, Kansas” written on verso
Lot 119 – Photograph of Cherokee Outlet delegates
Lot 122 – Cabinet card of Roan Horse, Comanche

Processing Information

The Robert G. McCubbin Western Photographs was donated to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in January 2019 by an anonymous donor.

Preferred Citation

Robert G. McCubbin Western Photographs, 1879-1905 and n.d., Box # Folder #. Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Container List

McCubbin Photographs

1878-1905 and n.d.
Box Folder Lot Folder Title / Description
1 1-3 5 Townsend and Pickett ranch, n.d.
1 4 11 Cowboys, n.d.
1 5 12 Cowboys, c1899 and n.d.
1 6 14 Cowboys, c1885 and n.d.
1 7 15 Cowboys, n.d.
1 8 38 Buffalo hunter, 1878
1 9 39 Buffalo hunter, n.d.
1 10 46 John Bruguier, n.d.
1 11 50 Buffalo soldiers, n.d.
1 12 62 Scouts, n.d.
1 13 64 Lucille Mulhall, 1905
1 14 65 Woman bullwhacker with team, 1887
1 15 75 Calamity Jane, c1901
1 16 104 Little Raven, n.d.
1 17 112 Crow Tail, Arikara, n.d.
1 18 114 Quapaw man, n.d.
1 19 119 Cherokee outlet delegates, n.d.
1 20 122 Roan Horse, Comanche, c1880

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