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Signed Photo of Billy the Kid aka W H Bonney

This autographed photo of W. H. Bonney (a.k.a. Billy the Kid, a.k.a. Kid Antrim) was originally acquired in the early 1900s by a well known gambler. As a young man he spent a great deal of time traveling the Ohio River and working from time to time on a steamboat owned by the T&J Gaff Company.

Sometime during 1914, he was invited by the Gaffs to attend a big poker game held in the town of Pendleton, a few miles Southwest of Huntsville, Indiana. This poker was reported to have lasted several days and was organized by merchants from various locations in Indiana and along the Ohio. It was during this poker game that the photo of Billy the Kid was acquired. One of the players named Joe Antrim, a known gambler by trade, put the photo on the table to cover his hand. He said the photo was that of the famous Billy the Kid of which he was related.

The photo was acknowledged by one of the players and organizer of the game, referrred to as Old Man Hunt. He knew of the photo and stated that it was first shown to him several years prior by Harrison Antrim while he visited with his family in Huntsville. It was agreed that the photo be allowed. The hand was played and Joe Antrim lost.

Shortly after, the new owner of the photo entered World War I and the photo was stored along with his other belongings. It did not surface again until he gave it to his daughter on her birthday in 1926. She kept the photo until her death on April 13, 2002.

The photo of reference is of a paper stock approximately 2.5" by 4" with a cardboard type backing. The photograph was analyzed for its authenticity by Sharon A. Long, a noted expert in Forensic Facial Reconstruction and Anthropology.

This photo stated to be of Billy the Kid's mother was given to the owner by Mr. L. Griggs. Mr. Griggs was a friend of the Antrims as well as a long time friend and gambling partner of the present owner's Grandfather, who won the photo of Billy the Kid. Mr. Griggs stated he received the photo of Catherine Antrim from Mr. Harrison Antrim of Huntsville, Indiana, in 1915. Condition: Both photos have light fading; overall very good condition

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