Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Chief Iron Tail: Star of the Wild West Show

In Posters and Prints > Circus Posters and Ephemera > Show & Tell and Posters and Prints > Posters > Show & Tell.
All items190107 of 241981WWII Aircraft Reference Handbook from Middletown Air Depot Civilian Training Program 1946 Arvin Tablemodel 558 Radio/Phono Combo.  WORKS!
14
Love it
0
Like it

ttomtuckerttomtucker loves this.
OKCJimOKCJim loves this.
TheGateKeeperTheGateKeeper loves this.
aghcollectaghcollect loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
RonMRonM loves this.
zguy2112zguy2112 loves this.
chrissylovescatschrissylovescats loves this.
HunterHunter loves this.
officialfuelofficialfuel loves this.
rocker-sdrocker-sd loves this.
kerry10456kerry10456 loves this.
collector4evrcollector4evr loves this.
miKKoChristmas11miKKoChristmas11 loves this.
See 12 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 11 years ago

    Circuspost…
    (30 items)

    Chief Iron Tail: Star of the Wild West Show
    By Chris Berry

    This one-sheet lithograph for the 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show sold at auction in Texas in October 2012 for $10,000.00. In addition the earlier, companion piece for Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill show sold for $1700.00 at the same auction.

    Early posters for Wild West Shows often attract high bids, and this 101 Ranch piece, featuring Chief Iron Tail has historic value in that Iron Tail was arguably the most famous American Indian in the world during the early 20th Century. Aside from the fame that he had on both the Buffalo Billl and 101 Ranch shows, Iron Tail and was one of three Indians who posed for the the buffalo nickel which entered circulation in 1913. Early in his performing career Iron Tail billed as being among the Indians who had participated in the battle of the Little Big Horn also known as "Custer's Last Stand" For many years he was a regular on the Buffalo Bill show and over the years became one of Cody's best friends. He traveled with the show on its tour of Europe and while there was promoted heavily, literally appearing before the "crowned heads of Europe". Iron Tail joined the 101 Ranch Show in 1913 and continued with the show until the spring of 1916.

    In May 1916, Chief Iron Tail, then 74, contracted pneumonia while the 101 Ranch show was performing in Philadelphia. When the show moved to Baltimore the next day Iron Tail was left alone with doctors and nurses who could barely communicate with him. For whatever reason the hospital put Iron Tail on a train back to his home in the Black Hills of South Dakota and on May 28, 1916 when a train porter went to awaken him near South Bend, Indiana he was found dead. His body continued on to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation where he was buried June 3, 1916. After Iron Tail's death, his friend Buffalo Bill promised to place a granite stone on his grave with a replica of the buffalo nickel on it, however Cody himself died just six month later and he was unable to fulfill that promise.

    Chris Berry
    circusposters@gmail.com

    logo
    Circus Posters and Ephemera
    See all
    1960 Ringling Bros Circus World Museum Old Clown Poster
    1960 Ringling Bros Circus World Mus...
    $13
    Solomon the Man Monkey 1908 Circus Poster - Darwins Missing Link! - 24x32
    Solomon the Man Monkey 1908 Circus ...
    $23
    Circus Clown Freak Show Poster Freakshow Print
    Circus Clown Freak Show Poster Frea...
    $14
    1960 Circus World Museum Poster Set Old Store Stock
    1960 Circus World Museum Poster Set...
    $24
    logo
    1960 Ringling Bros Circus World Museum Old Clown Poster
    1960 Ringling Bros Circus World Mus...
    $13
    See all

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.