Procession of Native Americans, Oversize Albumen

Albumen outdoor view of a procession of Native Americans in traditional dress with feather headdresses. Mounted on cardstock mount. A hand-drawn red arrow points to one of the figures on horseback and the word “Whipple” is written at the lower edge.

A dramatic composition capturing at least 8 Native Americans on horseback wearing traditional dress with large feathered headdresses. They process through a wet street with crowds lining the avenue.

Although the photograph is uncredited, there are tantalizing details for the eager researcher. The figure identified as “Whipple” could very well be Henry Benjamin Whipple (1822-1901) an Episcopalian bishop and vocal advocate for Native Americans. The distance from the subject, however, makes it difficult to make a visual identification. A visible sign reads “John Grady & Sons General Contractors”. The 1915 Maine Register lists a business under the same name located in Bangor, ME, and the Bangor Daily News ran ads for the business in the early 20th century. The dress of the subjects, however, suggests a more western locale.

[Native Americans, Western Americana, Early Photography, Oversize albumens, Outdoor photography] [Daguerreotype, Ambrotype, Tintype, CDV, Albumen, carte-de-visite, Salt print, Cabinet Card]