Exceptionally Rare and fascinating, 1876 William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and John Baker "Texas Jack" Omohundro related Printed Silk Souvenir Broadside Playbill for the 50th Performance of the "Black Crook" (a historically important play often sited as the first "musical") at Philadelphia's "New National Theater" staring the wife of Texas Jack - prima ballerina Giuseppina "Josephine" Morlacchi. This beautiful Silk Playbill was the personal property of Buffalo Bill Cody and descended directly in the Cody family to his great-granddaughter Patricia Ann "Patsy" Garlow - granddaughter of Cody's daughter Irma. It is believed that Cody attended this performance with his good friend Texas Jack and that the Playbill was a memento of that occasion.

This fascinating and beautiful Silk Program / Playbill measures approx. 5 1/2" by 9" and is printed in purple and gold gilt inks on an off white silk fabric. It was issued by the management of the New National Theater which stood at the corners of Ridge Avenue, 10th Street and Callowhill Street in the heart of Philadelphia. It is titled "Souvenir. Fiftieth Performance of the BLACK CROOK". Josephine Morlacchi is given top billing above the cast listing in larger text that reads "The Great Ballet Led By the PEERLESS MORLACCHI". The performance took place on Monday October 2, 1876.

Giuseppina "Josephine" Morlacchi began her association with Buffalo Bill Cody and Texas Jack Omohundro in 1872 as the female star (playing an Indian Maiden) of Ned Buntline's "western drama" - "The Scouts of the Plains". The cast for the first season (1872-3) included Ned Buntline, "Buffalo Bill" Cody, "Texas Jack" Omohundro and "The Peerless" Morlacchi. It did not take long for the cast to notice that Josephine and Jack were spending more and more time together. Yet, at the end of the first season in June of 1873, they went different ways. Josephine continued touring with her ballet troupe, while Jack was hired as a scout for hunting parties out west. However, they must have been thinking about each other all summer because one week before the show's second season, on August 31, 1873, Josephine and Jack were married at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Rochester, New York.

Some changes took place over the next few seasons: Ned Buntline was replaced by Wild Bill Hickok. New plays were written and more actors hired. Yet the popularity of the western dramas never waned. Jack and Josephine could not spend as much time as they wanted back home, so what little free time they had was spent on their farm in Lowell, Massachusetts. After the finish of the 1875-76 season, Jack and Josephine decided that they did not wish to tour so extensively. On the other hand, Buffalo Bill knew that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Texas Jack and Bill parted company the best of friends.

It seems that the 1876-77 Season began with Josephine headlining in a new production of "Black Crook" at the New National Theater in Philadelphia. The production was a successful one and it is likely that Jack spent much of August and September in Philadelphia with Josephine. How this Silk Broadside Playbill became a cherished memento to Buffalo Bill can only be speculation but it seems quite reasonable that he might have traveled to Philly while appearing on the stage in New York to spend an evening with his friend Texas Jack and attend a celebrated 50th performance of the popular "Black Crook" staring his friend and Jack's wife Josephine.

This fascinating piece of Ephemera, from The Cody Family collection, is definitely in need of further research - there is surely a "story to be told" by the events surrounding both the performance and its connection to Buffalo Bill Cody. We leave the joy of that research to the next owner!!

Provenance: This fantastic Silk Broadside Playbill / Program descended directly in the family of Irma Louise Cody Garlow, Buffalo Bill Cody's last surviving child. Buffalo Bill and his wife Louisa Frederici Cody (1843-1921) had four children but only their two daughters - Arta (1866-1904) and the baby Irma (1883-1918) lived to adulthood. Irma married Frederick Harrison Garlow Sr. (1880-1918) and had 3 children - Frederick Harrison Garlow Jr. (1911-1985); William Joseph Garlow (changed name to Cody) (1913-1992) and Jane Cody Garlow (1909-1987). When Irma and Fred Garlow Sr. died within three days of each other during the influenza pandemic of 1918, the three young children were cared for by their Grandmother Louisa, wife of Buffalo Bill Cody. Fred Garlow Jr. married Margaret Southerland and they had two children Patricia Ann (b.1948) and Mark Frederick (b. 1952). The Playbill offered here was the property of Patricia Ann "Patsy" Garlow, Buffalo Bill's direct great-granddaughter. It was the property of the Cody-Garlow family and was originally the property of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody. This Broadside spent most of the last half of the 20th century on loan to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center of the West.

This rare and wonderful, 1876 Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack related Silk Souvenir Broadside Playbill is in excellent condition. The Playbill itself is crisp and and generally clean with a couple of tiny spots of staining in the lower margin and 2 light creases at the lower left hand corner. All of the printed text is dark and bold and there is no loss to the fringed sides of the top and bottom edges. Overall this wonderful Silk Souvenir Playbill is very well preserved and displays beautifully.

An exceptionally rare and wonderful, 1876 William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and John Baker "Texas Jack" Omohundro related Printed Silk Souvenir Broadside Playbill for the 50th Performance of the "Black Crook" at Philadelphia's "New National Theater" staring the wife of Texas Jack - prim ballerina Giuseppina "Josephine" Morlacchi- a personal, family memento that was previously the personal property of Bill and Louisa Cody - and a fantastic addition to any collection!!

Be sure to check out this seller’s other auctions for a number of other 19th and early 20th century, Western Americana and Native American Photographs (including other items from the Cody-Garlow estate) which are also being offered for sale this week on eBay!!

If you are interested in reading more about the fascinating story of Texas Jack Omohundro and his beautiful wife Josephine Morlacchi - their stage careers and their connection to Buffalo Bill Cody and the play that launched his career "The Scouts of the Plains" simply click here to read a fantastic, multi-page treatment of that history.

Overseasshippping is extra and cost will be quoted at bidders request. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax.

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Reference Blog - Walnutts.com.

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