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A $2 photo from a California junk shop is the ‘holy grail of Western Americana’

washingtonpost.com

1–10 of 116 posts

Re: A $2 photo from a California junk shop is the ‘holy grail of Western Americana’

#3
post #2

Short version: the photograph is only the second verified image of Billy the Kid. Verification of it required an in-depth analysis, including finding where the picture was taken.

I wish the article had gone into more detail about what the verification process is like.

Re: A $2 photo from a California junk shop is the ‘holy grail of Western Americana’

#4
post #2

Short version: the photograph is only the second verified image of Billy the Kid. Verification of it required an in-depth analysis, including finding where the picture was taken.

I wish the article had gone into more detail about what the verification process is like.

Yeah, this. I don't see how they could possibly verify that this is actually an image of BtK when the face is so obscured and the provenance of the image so uncertain. Kagin's is being very cagey about it too: "Any qualified individual wishing to review the authentication dossier and discuss the potential acquisition of the Billy the Kid Croquet Match Tintype are welcome to contact..."

Re: A $2 photo from a California junk shop is the ‘holy grail of Western Americana’

#7
post #5

You must have pretty specialised knowledge to look at that photo in the junk shop and say to yourself, "You know, that might be Billy the Kid. I should get this appraised."

Now imagine, sometime, somewhere, someone got a written manuscript from Plato, or the Buddha, or another figure and just used it to make fire.

Re: A $2 photo from a California junk shop is the ‘holy grail of Western Americana’

#8
"It has been independently appraised at $5 million..". Ba ha ha ha, maybe it's raining money in California but in my part of the world there is a saying: "It's not a fool the one who asks, it's a fool the one who offers.. [an exorbitant price for something]".

Re: A $2 photo from a California junk shop is the ‘holy grail of Western Americana’

#10
post #6

The caption says the image was taken during the summer of 1878 but there are no leaves on the trees. So either the trees around their hide out were all dead or it wasn't summer.

It can be hot and dry in summer in New Mexico. Not great for leaves.

"The loss of numerous leaves from trees is not uncommon in New Mexico in June." -- http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/1997/063097.html

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