OT-Great old photo of cowboy!

[rangerider7]

Give me some thoughts.

[Ysabel Kid]

Breaktop S&W?

[Streetstar]

that looks like a Target model double action gun

[mescalero1]

Way too clean.

[pokey]

all hat, no cattle.

[rangerider7]

You will notice that the boots and chaps have some age and he is wearing spurs. The shirt says to me he is a showman. I think he probably worked for a traveling Wild West Show or something similar. There were hundreds of them during the turn of the century, the time when this was probably made. The pose is very unusual for a working cowboy but reminiscent of a showman. He doesn't appear theatrical or stage like to me.

[Buck Elliott]

Way too clean.

Even REAL cowboys took a bath, now & then, especially just before they "went and had their pitcher made..."

All that said, he looks like a Wild West Show refugee to me.

[kimwcook]

I'm with RR and Buck. Looks like a showman to me. He's standing on what looks like grass, so I'm thinking not a studio pic. His clothing matches him and the shirt is definitely for show. He's comfortable in his clothes. Says showman to me.

[76/444]

If the outfit wasn't supplied by the photographer,.... I would have to agree, either he is a period western carnie type employee or possible one of those cow hands from the turn of the century that dressed fancy and refused to do any ranch work that required getting out of their saddle. I forget exactly what they were called, back in those days,... but this pic makes me think of them.

[Buck Elliott]

If the outfit wasn't supplied by the photographer,.... I would have to agree, either he is a period western carnie type employee or possible one of those cow hands from the turn of the century that dressed fancy and refused to do any ranch work that required getting out of their saddle. I forget exactly what they were called, back in those days,... but this pic makes me think of them.

Those boys also usually wore gloves -- all the time -- to let plain folks know how 'special' their hands were.

Notice again the painted back-drop, coming down to grass under the kid's boots.

[Gun Smith]

I'll throw in my "best guess" .02 worth. He's at a county fair or similar venue. There is a traveling photographer there taking pictures of fair goers. He has costumes for his customers to dress up in. His girlfriend or wife had him get his picture taken.
Probably cost $1-2.00.

[Birdman]

That holster belt is spun around to place his bullets in front. I'd say he's a poser.But, twice my family and I have had our pic's taken with the old time settings. Someday someone will come across those and I'll be talked about too. Neat pic.

[Alan Wood]

I'm with RR and Buck. Looks like a showman to me. He's standing on what looks like grass, so I'm thinking not a studio pic. His clothing matches him and the shirt is definitely for show. He's comfortable in his clothes. Says showman to me.

It looks like a showman to me also. As for the grass it looks more like a fake grass covering the studio floor to me. A couple of spots are suspicously flat and devoid of grass.

[Borregos]

Love these old pictures, keep 'em coming

[pokey]

i'd go with the fair photo.
boots are dusty, spur straps are not.
creases in chaps look to be from being folded, not from wear.
the hat just ain't right.
don't know what to think of the shirt.
think that's real grass?
the rounds in the belt don't look like they fit his pistola. maybe yes. maybe no.

all hat no cattle.

[bogus bill]

Just for the fun of it, here is one of those fake photos of my ex, our daughter and me about 25 years ago.

[Travis Morgan]

Showman. A real cowboy would never carry that much ammo on his belt, and if he did, not on such a narrow belt, as it'd make you sore. As for wear on the chaps, that isn't that big of a deal. Guys that only ride an hour every coupla days can put that much wear on a pair of chaps.

[Buck Elliott]

Interesting to me that so many see different things differently, through the eyes of their own experience (or lack of same...)

As with so many of these old curiosities, we may never know, for sure and for certain, here in this life. And I don't expect it will be of much importance in the next...

Interesting, though; all the same.

[kimwcook]

Buck, that was..............interesting.

[pokey]

Buck, that was..............interesting.

+1

[1886]

Cowboy G.Q.? 1886.

[KirkD]

I was reading a history of the west that talked about cattle drives. It was very common for the cowboys at the end of the drive, to get paid, buy a shave and a bath, then buy a new set of duds, and go and get their picture taken at a studio. In other words, a studio shot with new duds doesn't mean the guy is a tenderfoot.

[rangerider7]

KirkD, what you said is very true but a shirt like that? Odds are that would not be his choice, but you never know nor will we ever be for sure.