Auction: A.R. Dresser and Buffalo Bill / 14 February 2023

[Michael Pritchard]

Wallis and Wallis is offering an interesting album of photographs by A R Dresserr and estimated at £200-300. The description reads: A fascinating and historically interesting photographic record of the visit of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show to Earl's Court in 1892, by A.R. Dresser, a well known photographer at the time, with introduction by Dresser stating that the photographs were mostly taken with a Crouch "Dresser" hand camera at F.8, and printed on Bromide paper, mostly from Eastman Film Negatives.

The 81 monochrome photographs are mounted on alternate pages, the opposite pages containing personal details of the members of the cast, and historical background of the various acts. Among those acts and members listed in detail are the Deadwood Stage coach, Annie Oakley, Chief of the Cossacks Prince Iran Makharadze, "Buffalo Bill" Cody, general manager Major Burke, Mexican Vaqueros, Sioux "Indians" and squaws, the Miss Farrells, and many others. Also detailed on most pages are the developing and printing processes and chemicals used. Hardback covers, the front cover gold embossed "Photographs - A.R. Dresser", the spine "Volume II". 

Details here

[Bobbie Carnegie]

Addendum: Hammer price £2,500

https://www.easyliveauction.com/catalogue/lot/b6375258bb52fa49731d5...

[Bobbie Carnegie]

An historical document, surely, if ever there was one deserving of finding an appropriate archive. "Volume II"? Gosh! So there'll be Vol.1 possibly somewhere with other volumes maybe to wonder about documenting, if not Buffalo Bill again, other events in similar diarist manner.