Description
A disbound album of primarily portrait photographs of Plains Indians, taken by photographer William E. Irwin from the 1890s
to early 1900s, in Indian Territory.
His images document the Chiricahua Apache, Comanche, and Kiowa Indians who lived near Anadarko and Fort Sill, Oklahoma; some
photographs may have been taken at Irwin’s studio at Chickasha,
Indian Territory. Besides the studio and field portraits, there are also candid views illustrating late 19th-century Plains
Indians in their daily lives; several views of cowboys and cow
herding; Fort Sill; tepees; landscapes; and one view of a Wichita Indian grass house or wickiup. Notable portraits include
those of Geronimo, seated, posing with headdress and revolver;
Appeahtone (Kiowa Chief) and his wife; and Quanah Parker (Comanche Chief) with two of his wives.
Background
William E. Irwin was born in 1871 in Red Oak, Missouri. He learned photography around 1893 in either Indian Territory or Texas,
and went on to operate galleries in Chickasha,
Oklahoma and Silver City, New Mexico. In 1904, along with his brothers John and Marvin, Irwin opened and operated a photography
studio in Bisbee, Arizona. In 1913, he
renovated the McPhearson Building as a studio, and worked there until 1922. Irwin’s last photography studio was located in
Douglas, Arizona, which he managed until his
death in 1935.
Extent
50 photographs in 1 box; prints 14 x 10 cm. (5.5 x 4 in.)
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and
obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.