About this Item
Photograph and postcard archive, circa 1910s-1940s, documenting rodeo culture and competitive riding traditions across the American West, with particular emphasis on organized events such as the Pendleton Round-Up and regional competitions in Oregon, Montana, and Nevada. The collection captures core rodeo practices including saddle bronc riding, bull riding, relay racing, and bulldogging, presenting visual evidence of both individual performers and large public gatherings. Identified riders such as Leonard Stroud, Soapy Williams, Milt Moe, Frank Smith, and Paddy Ryan appear in action, situating the material within a period when rodeo emerged as a structured spectator sport tied to regional identity and western heritage. Images of grandstands filled with spectators, Labor Day competitions, and named championship events indicate the scale and institutionalization of rodeo culture in the early twentieth century, while repeated depictions of high-risk maneuvers document the physical demands and performance conventions that defined the sport. Archive of 16 photographs and real photo postcards, primarily measuring approximately 4.75 x 3 inches, with one smaller photograph measuring approximately 1.75 x 2.5 inches. Most images are real photo postcards, several bearing AZO and DOPS stamp boxes consistent with production dates between approximately 1925 and 1942, alongside earlier material including a copyrighted 1918 image and one example dating to 1904. Locations identified include Pendleton, Oregon; Bozeman, Montana; and Nevada. Several images carry printed or negative titles, including "Leonard Stroud on Indian Tom wins championship at Cheyenne, Wyo."; "Soapy Williams on Glasseye"; and "Milt Moe on Tea Trader." The archive includes multiple scenes from the Pendleton Round-Up, featuring bulldogging by Frank Smith in 1923, relay racing during a 1925 Labor Day event, and additional captioned scenes such as "They treat 'em rough at the Roundup." Other images depict riders thrown from horses, bull riding sequences, and staged or candid action views that emphasize the dynamic movement and risk inherent in rodeo performance. Sixteen photographs and postcards on cardstock mounts, with a mix of black and white and sepia tones. Light wear consistent with handling, including minor surface wear and occasional spotting; overall very good condition. A concentrated visual record of early twentieth-century rodeo culture in the American West, documenting named competitors, regional events, and the development of rodeo as a public spectacle.
Seller Inventory # 17807
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