These Photographs was the personal property of the Buffalo Bill Cody family and descended directly in the Cody family to his great-granddaughter Patricia Ann "Patsy" Garlow - granddaughter of Cody's daughter Irma. The Photographs were taken at various locations including on Scout’s Rest Ranch, during Fred Garlow and Irma Cody’s honeymoon, the studio of Stacy, at the Garlow home, etc.

    Ten of these fascinating, Personal, Buffalo Bill Cody Family Photographs measure approx. 3 1/2" by 5 1/2" while the earlier Photo that includes Arta Cody measures approx. 4 3/4” by 3 7/8”. Each of the images are identified with manuscript notations on the verso some of which appear to be in the hand of Louise Cody and others that appear to be the handwriting of Patsy Garlow.

    Included here are real photo postcards of Fred Garlow Jr. riding a rocking horse, of Fred Garlow Sr. with a dapple gray horse, Fred Garlow Sr. with his dog standing in a herd of sheep at Scout’s Rest Ranch and of Fred Garlow and Irma Cody on their Honeymoon. There are two, snapshot copies of the same, ca1890 Cabinet Card portrait of Buffalo Bill Cody’s wife Louise and daughter Irma as a young girl. There are also original, snapshot Photos of baby Fred Garlow Jr. sitting in a wicker baby carrier, Fred Garlow Sr. with his son Fred Jr., Fred Garlow Sr. with Fred Jr. and Jane and a photo of Louise Cody with two other women and a boy dressed in military type clothing (this is likely either Fred Garlow Jr. or his brother Bill).

     The 11th Photograph is a ca1880’s image of a group of people gathered on the open plains. There are men and women standing in a semi-circle around a very pretty young woman seated on a blanket roll. This woman is identified with a later manuscript note as Arta Cody.

    Provenance: This fantastic, Card Mount Photograph 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) (her second husband) 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 Photograph 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 likely, originally the property of William F. “Buffalo Bill" Cody and his wife. While many of the Cody-Garlow family photos spent most of the last half of the 20th century on loan to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center of the West and bear a BBHC index number on the verso, this highly personal Image appears to have been retained by the family as there is no collection number on the verso..

    This lot of exceptionally rare and fascinating, Snapshot Photos are all in very good to excellent condition. The Photographs all exhibit sharp focus, strong contrast and rich, warm tonality. Some have short edge tears and/or light edge wear and a few have some creases but overall the Photographs are well preserved and display nicely.

    A lot of 11, exceptionally rare and original, 1880 to 1920 Snapshot and Real Photo Postcard Photographs of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody's family including photos of his wife Louise, daughter Arta and his daughter Irma Cody and her family – a group of highly personal, family Photographs descended directly from Cody's daughter Irma in the Cody-Garlow Family - 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!!