Kentucky Frank and Little Fawn Old West Cabinet Photo.

[rangerider7]

[Pitchy]

Looks like he needs to fall in the creek and get wet to add a few pounds.

[AJMD429]

It would sure be interesting to talk with them...

[Ben_Rumson]

Nice pic...Look like proud people..

[gamekeeper]

Looks like he needs to fall in the creek and get wet to add a few pounds.

Now don't go pickin' on him just cause he didn't live on KFC and Donuts..

[markinalpine]

Charming couple, but where did you find their names? Are they written on the back?

Mark

[Hoosierdaddy]

Is that a 73 or 76 Winchester?
Hoosierdaddy

[COSteve]

Charming couple, but where did you find their names? Are they written on the back?

Mark

Its from an on-line auction. The information with it is:

Very Rare, 1880's, Cabinet Card Photograph of Wild West Show owners and performers Kentucky Frank and Little Fawn (aka: George Franklin Russell and his first wife Eliza Jane Russell ne: Sumption). This outstanding albumen Photograph measures approx. 3 7/8" x 5 1/4" and is mounted on its original card mount (overall size approx. 4 1/4" x 6 1/2"). The Card Mount is signed by the photographer Dillon of Cincinnati with an added imprint that reads "Benjamin - Successor to". The back of the card mount has a large, hand ink stamp that reads "Kentucky Frank and Little Fawn, Fancy Western Leather Workers". This wonderful Western Americana Image is a full-length, studio portrait of the long haired, trick shot artist Cowboy Kentucky Frank and his petite bride "Little Fawn". Frank rears a very wide brimmed hat, neckerchief slung over his left shoulder, leather fringed chaps and a rather huge revolver in a holster on his belt which is studded with cartridge. Fawn also wears a wide brimmed hat, a fringed, buckskin skirt and has a revolver stuck in her belt. In her left hand she holds the barrel of what looks like a Henry repeating rifle. This outstanding Image came to us with a small group of Wild West Performer Cabinet Card Photographs. George Frank (Kentucky Frank) & Eliza Jane (Little Fawn) Russell had their own Wild West Show that toured the US in the late 1800s & very early 1900's. Traveling with them was an Indian band with eleven members and other fancy shot, rope trick and horseback artist performers. Frank was known as "Kentucky Frank." He was a fancy rifle shot and a long-haired cowboy. Eliza was known as "Little Fawn." When in from the road, they were "fancy western leather workers" and had a shooting gallery and leather goods store in Cincinnati, Ohio. For additional Kentucky Frank information see the book titled, "Cincinnati: A Guide to the Queen City & Its neighbors", by Federal Writers' Project: US History Pub; 1943 - "...Kentucky Frank, a long-haired galoot, and Little Fawn, his wife, ran a shooting gallery and did Western Style Leather Work.". A letterhead which sold at an auction in 2005, says, "Kentucky Frank and Little Fawn. Western Leather Workers...Wild West Attractions...Indian Brass Band." The drawings were the same as those held in current day family hands. Kentucky Frank also told about witnessing the famous match between Annie Moses (Oakley) and (Frank) Butler, in a book about Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill's Wild West book by Isabelle Sayers. This rare and wonderful, 19th century Western Americana / Wild West Performer Cabinet Card Photograph is in good to very good condition. The Photograph itself exhibits sharp focus, strong contrast and rich tonality. There is a small spot of light staining at the upper left hand quadrant and there is a vertical crease in the Photo and the Card Mount at the right hand side (see the scans below). The Image is still attractive and will display nicely. A very rare and wonderful, 1880's, Husband and Wife Wild West Show Performers Cabinet Card Photograph and a fantastic addition to any collection!!

[AJMD429]

BTW - Why do they call them "cabinet photos"...?

[markinalpine]

Thanks, Steve.

[Rube Burrows]

BTW - Why do they call them "cabinet photos"...?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_card