CDV of Union Pacific Railroad employee William Thompson after being scalped by Cheyenne Indians. Omaha, NE: Eaton, ca 1867.

CDV on cardstock mount with Eaton's Omaha, Nebraska imprint on verso and penciled identification, "Tompson [sic] scalpt [sic] by Sioux Indians, 1867."

William Thompson was an Englishman who ventured to the United States to work as a Union Pacific Railroad employee in 1867. While traveling across the western frontier with a crew of men, his group was ambushed by members of the Cheyenne tribe, and Thompson was shot, scalped and left for dead. Miraculously, he survived and was able to retrieve the scalp in hopes of having it reattached, which was not possible. Therefore, Thompson had the scalp tanned and carried it with him back to England. He subsequently sent the scalp back to the doctor who attended to him in Omaha, who in turn donated the artifact to the Omaha Public Library. (Information obtained from Omaha Public Library blog post, "About William Thompson & his Scalp," by Emily Getzschman.)

The CDV of Thompson offered here shows the visible effects of the scalping. This was one of two photographs of Thompson published in the 1935 book The Faded Frontier by Frank J. Burkley.

The Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Toning, light soiling to print and mounts. Mount curves slightly upward.

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Katie Horstman

VP, Head of Department, American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography

[email protected]513.666.4958

Ms. Horstman has spent over a decade specializing in historic photography and Americana at auction. During her tenure, she has overseen several notable single owner auctions, including property from the inventory of celebrated Americana and antique arms expert Norm Flayderman. During her time with the firm, she has maintained an active membership in the Daguerreian Society. Ms. Horstman holds an MA in Art History from the University of Cincinnati and a BA in Art History from The Ohio State University.

American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography, including The Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography

CDV of Union Pacific Railroad employee William Thompson after being scalped by Cheyenne Indians. Omaha, NE: Eaton, ca 1867.

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