Beschreibung:

Lot of 6 silver gelatin photographs, each approx. 3.25 x 5.5 in. and titled and signed "Tuell" with her copyright (or blindstamp), all but two with extensive notations on verso believed to be in Tuell's hand. Subjects include: "Runsforward-Sioux," White River, South Dakota, wearing headdress and bone breastplate, with Tuell's blindstamp lower right; "Chief American Horse-Cheyenne," who served as a mentor to Tuell and taught her the Cheyenne language. The verso inscription notes that he "led the 'fighting Cheyennes' in Custer's massacre, 1876"; "Mrs. Fast Horse-Sioux," wearing a beaded shirt and bone breastplate, with Tuell's blindstamp lower right; "First Grandchild," an outdoor view showing "White Cow," daughter of Chief Dull Knife, holding her grandchild, as inscribed on verso; "The Papoose," which shows "Julia Wooden Thigh, granddaughter of 'White Cow' and grand granddaughter of Chief Dull Knife," as identified on verso; and "The Elktooth Dress - Sioux," described on verso as "highly prized, as one elk only has 2 teeth, and it requires many elk and several years to make a garment of this sort," with Tuell's blindstamp lower right. Julia Tuell (1886-1960) moved west accompanying her school teacher husband. Eventually settling at Lame Deer Agency, Montana, she developed an interest in photography and began taking images of the Northern Cheyenne. She became a keen observer of Cheyenne culture, and because of her status as a woman, was allowed access to scenes of daily and ceremonial life usually considered off limits to whites. Her photographs of the Sun Dance, for example, record scenes that were fast-fading on the Northern Plains. Condition: Unmounted, loose photographs. Very good to near excellent condition overall, with few light spots, light edge/corner wear.