Swords Brothers Cabinet Photo Pawnee Bill & May Lillie

Description: Nice cabinet photograph depicting Wild West Show stars Pawnee Bill and May Lillie. Gordon William Lillie (1860 – 1942), known professionally as Pawnee Bill, was an American showman and performer who specialized in Wild West Shows and was known for his short partnership with Buffalo Bill Cody. In 1888, the Lillies launched their own Wild West show, which they called "Pawnee Bill’s Historic Wild West". May starred in the show as the "Champion Girl Horseback Shot of the West." Their first season was a financial disaster where they re-organized as a smaller operation called "Pawnee Bill’s Historical Wild West Indian Museum and Encampment Show." That show was popular and financially successful. In 1887 May Lillie (1869-1936) debuted at a sharpshooter for Pawnee Bill's Great Wild West Show and was billed as 'the greatest Lady Horseback Rifle-shot of the World'. May traveled the country with her husband's show and was one of the first women to perform as an equestrian and shooter in American Wild West shows. May suffered a shooting injury during an act in 1899 that required two of her fingers to be amputated. *The Swords Bros (William H. & George A. Swords) operated a photography studio, gallery and frame makers in York, Pennsylvania from 1877-1924. In an 1896 article in York’s Semi-Weekly Gazette piqued my interest. Quoting the article: “It is rarely that a city surrenders to a force of two. This, however, is what York did Wednesday. The ‘two’ were cowboys of a section of Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show wintering in Red Lion (York County). 4 ¼” x 6 ½”. One small corner nick of the image. Mild mount soiling. See scans.

Price: 400 USD

Location: Tempe, Arizona

End Time: 2025-01-16T01:09:43.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD