Original early 20th-century real photo postcard (RPPC) showing Martin J. Thompson and neighbors staging a humorous “hold up” scene with horses and horse-drawn wagons.
The photograph shows several men posed in an open rural landscape with four horses and two horse-drawn wagons. One man appears to be posing as the armed highwayman while the others participate in the staged scene.
Most importantly, the reverse contains a period handwritten identification that appears to read:
“Martin J. Thompson and neighbors — ‘Hold up’ — Taken by Ernest Slegner.”
This wonderful amateur photograph captures the fascination with Old West imagery and staged outlaw/robbery scenes during the early 20th century. Rather than an unidentified generic horse scene, the original inscription identifies one of the participants and apparently also identifies the photographer.
Exact location has not been determined.
Likely dates from approximately the 1905–1915 era, based upon the postcard format, clothing, photographic characteristics, and horse-drawn transportation.
An unusual piece of vernacular American photography with excellent subject matter for collectors of Western Americana, cowboys/outlaws, horses, wagons, transportation, occupational photography, and identified RPPCs.
Type: Real Photo Postcard (RPPC)
Era: Circa 1905–1915
Subject: Staged Hold Up / Western Scene
Identified Person: Martin J. Thompson
Photographer: Ernest Slegner (per handwritten identification)
Transportation: Horse-Drawn Wagons
Animals: Horses
People: Men / Neighbors
Theme: Western Americana / Transportation / Rural Life
Postally Used: No
Writing: Period handwritten identification on reverse
Original/Reproduction: Original
Country: United States, presumed
Location: Unknown
Fair to good antique condition with significant age-related wear. Photograph has corner and edge wear, surface marks, toning and some image fading. Upper right corner has a substantial crease/fold, with additional smaller creases and wear visible elsewhere. Reverse has handwritten identification and a later green circled inventory marking. Please examine both scans carefully for exact condition.
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