Shannon Stirnweis (American, B. 1931) "Buffalo Bill Cody" Signed lower center. Original Oil painting on Illustration Board.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting was published on the Fleetwood First Day of Issue Maximum Card of the 15c Buffalo Bill Cody stamp issued on June 6, 1988.

In 1846, as American eyes turned toward the setting sun, and young men dreamed of going West, William Frederick Cody was born. At the age of 14, he answered an ad for "young, skinny, wiry fellows, not over 18. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred and the legend of Buffalo Bill began. A Pony Express rider, he was but a boy taking on the West, but his skill as a rider, and his daring, suited him for life on the great American frontier. When the Pony Express was superseded by completion of the ocean-to-ocean telegraph, and Civil War loomed, Cody joined an anti-slavery organization and later served as a Union Scout. After the War, he became a hunter, supplying meat for workmen who were building the railroad west. Cody's skill as a marksman, and his love for the rugged wilderness, earned him the nickname, Buffalo Bill. He served as a Civilian Scout for the military, and was awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry in a fight with Indians along the Platte River. But, the Medal was revoked in 1917, because he had not been a member of the military when it was bestowed. In 1883, Buffalo Bill began the work which made him legend. In that year, he started the Wild West Show, depicting a tough American West, and featuring Sitting Bull and famed marksmen Frank North, Doc Carver, and Buffalo Bill. In 1884, Annie Oakley joined the Show. Touring the U.S. and Europe, Buffalo Bill brought the thrill of the West to the world.

Image Size: 13.5 x 18.25 in.
Overall Size: 16.5 x 21.5 in.
Unframed.
(B11468)

- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.

- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via WIRE TRANSFER, no other forms of payment will be accepted.

- All items are sold as-is where-is and no guarantees are made of any kind. All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.

- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com

- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through multiple online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.

- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be outbid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.

- Unless otherwise stated in the description, all items are sold without additional documentation or COAs. If any supporting documentation is available an image will be available online via the catalog listing.