Lot #131

Geronimo Signature with Rare 1897 Letter from His Portrait Painter E. A. Burbank

Description

Rare signature of fabled Apache warrior Geronimo, coupled with a rare 1897 letter from his portraitist, E. A. Burbank: "Have painted two pictures of Chief Geronimo, old Appache Chief he is a prisoner of war here"

Magnificent ink signature, “Geronimo,” on an off-white 4 x 2.25 card, which is accompanied by an ALS from noted Native American portrait painter Elbridge Ayer Burbank, signed “E. A. Burbank,” one page, both sides, 5 x 8, April 19, 1897, handwritten from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and addressed to Mr. Dyche, in part: “I do not know when will return to Chicago not for a few weeks…I am having a fine time here with the Indians painting them. There are 3000 of them where I am and find them pretty good models am painting them in their genuine Indian costumes which is very picturesque. Have painted two pictures of Chief Geronimo, old Appache Chief he is a prisoner of war here.” In fine condition. A beautiful signature from the storied Apache leader, whose ink autographs are far rarer than their graphite counterparts, with this being our first example in nearly eight years.

Elbridge Ayer (E. A.) Burbank (1858-1949) was an American artist who sketched and painted more than 1200 portraits of Native Americans from 125 tribes. He is believed to be the only person to paint the war chief Geronimo from life, which he did a total of seven times. Burbank’s first sittings with Geronimo occurred in 1897, the very year of the offered letter.

Burbank arrived at Fort Sill on March 12, 1897, and immediately sought out Geronimo. After finding the Apache chief at his house, the two men began talking with the help of a translator. By the end of the conversation, Burbank had arranged with Geronimo to paint the chief’s portrait: ‘He says he will sit for me any time and that I can use his house for a studio which am going to do so will commence his picture Tomorrow and he is going to dress up for me with a war bonnet on and an Indian blanket on also.’ It was a week and a half before Burbank was able to announce the completion of his assignment. ‘I finished with Chief Geronimo,’ he wrote on March 21st. ‘Today I have painted two fine likenesses of him one a full front view and the other a profile and I have painted him with his correct costume on.’

From the autograph collection of Frank Dyche (d. 1944) and his wife Grace Scripps Dyche (1863-1924). Frank Dyche, a prominent Chicago attorney, married Grace Scripps in 1896. Grace was the daughter of John Locke Scripps (1818-1866), editor of the Chicago Tribune, and his wife Mary E. Scripps (1825-1866). The Scripps have been described as 'one of the oldest and most influential families of American journalism' who 'occupied a unique place in nineteenth-century America.'

Auction Info

• Auction Title: Fine Autograph and Artifacts
• Dates: #672 - Ended August 16, 2023

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