William Cody
Chicago, IL, ca. 1899
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody Signed Copy "Last of the Great Scouts"
Signed Book

Copy of "Last of the Great Scouts" by Helen Cody Wetmore. Chicago: The Lakeside Press, R. R. Donnelley & Sons (the title page says Duluth Press Publishing Company), 1899. Octavo, xiv, 296pp. Signed and inscribed on the front endpaper: "With pleasant remembrances of a sunshine little lady who once visited the Wild West. W. F. Cody 'Buffalo Bill' 1912 / To Miss Fleta Kendall." Frontispiece "Hiding the Trail." With black and white illustrations throughout. Original maroon cloth-covered boards with a blind embossed buffalo head on the front and rear covers. Titles stamped in gilt on the front and rear covers and at the spine. Housed in a red custom case, with the title in gilt on the spine. The book has been rebacked using the cloth from the original spine, and fresh endpapers added. Bumped boards with moderate wear. Text block corners are bumped. Soiling, foxing, and toning throughout. Boldly signed.

William F. ?Buffalo Bill? Cody was a soldier, hunter, and showman. He opened his Wild West show in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1883, and drew upon his real-life adventures, turning them into heightened spectacles for the public. The open-air shows depicted cowboys, Native Americans, army scouts, outlaws, and wild beasts, with most sketches being sensationalized. Native Americans were portrayed in a particular exploitative manner, while the rival cowboys and their lives on the American frontier were romanticized. From 1909-1913, Buffalo Bill Cody toured with Buffalo Bill?s Wild West and Pawnee Bill?s Far East. In 1910, he announced his retirement from show business and went on a two-year farewell tour. He never officially retired though, having mismanaged his money and affairs, he cut back on performances but kept going, almost up until the day he died. His last show was on November 11, 1916, and he passed away on January 10, 1917.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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6" x 8.5"