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Geronimo Signature with Fully Documented Strands of His Hair....
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Sold on Oct 17, 2013 for:
$5,312.50
Bid Source: Live: Phone bidder
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Description
Geronimo Signature with Fully Documented Strands of His Hair. The famous Chiricahua leader's signature, written neatly in pencil, is found on a 3.75" x 2.25" card. Mounted to the verso of the card is a partial clipped newspaper article regarding the arrival of Geronimo at the World's Fair, presumably the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.The several strands of black hair (no more than eight in number) have excellent provenance included attesting to their authenticity . The hair was obtained directly from Geronimo by Allen Bowman during a haircut, the account of which is contained in a transcribed letter to George "Farmer" Lawton printed in a news article, August 19, 1920 (also included in this lot). Sometime in 1871, Bowman entered the Indian Territory and "hunted much with the Kiowa tribe." On one such occasion, Geronimo entered the Kiowa camp and smoked with the leaders of the band. Bowman writes: "On that same occasion I cut Geronimo's hair, using a goodly amount of bacon grease in lieu of scented bear's oil and had him looking ten years younger. After strutting up and down the creek where he could see his own shadow in its water he sprang off and on his new pony several times . . . then remarked, 'Heap fine, me now go home and marry younger squaw. Pale Face he come along and can have one too.' . . . As I preserved old Geronimo's heavy black locks . . . am inclosing same to you for your collection if desired." It seems that the recipient, Farmer Lawton, was a descendent of a Capt. Henry Ware Lawton, commander of B Troop, 4th U.S. Cavalry, and namesake of Lawton, Oklahoma, who helped to capture Geronimo in 1886. The locks of hair, along with other artifacts, were purchased in the 1990s from the Lawton estate by a collector, who incorrectly asserts that the hair was taken from Geronimo shortly before his death in 1909 and give to Lawton in 1920.
Auction Info
2013 October 17 - 18 Manuscripts Grand Format Auction - New York #6102 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
October, 2013
17th-18th
Thursday-Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 10
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 1,353
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