Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-09-19 11:00:00 2026-09-19 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/september-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-24380
Our September 2026 auction is anchored by two remarkable private collections, together making up about half the sale, alongside a broader selection of consignments spanning early photography, Civil War material, and vernacular imagery. The Soffer Collection, built with an eye for rarity and historical significance, is particularly strong in vernacular portraiture, Native American photographs, and Iowa Civil War imagery. The Palmer, Massachusetts collection, much of it found at Brimfield, centers on maker-marked daguerreotypes from the golden age of the American daguerreian studio.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 144

Cabinet Card, Native American Youth, J.B. Kingham, Oklahoma City

Estimate: $300 - $500
Starting Bid
$150

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A young Native American man is depicted in a full-length studio portrait on this cabinet card, made by J.B. Kingham at his Broadway studio in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Territory, almost certainly in the 1890s. Kingham operated at the address printed on the mount, between California and Reno on Broadway, during the territorial period, placing this image firmly within a decade of Oklahoma City's founding.

The subject wears a dark trade-cloth vest open at the chest, layered strand necklaces, and a long diagonal sash of large coin medallions running from shoulder to hip. A boldly striped blanket is draped across his lap and legs, and he holds a large feathered fan in his right hand while a feathered staff stands to his left. Wide metal arm cuffs, multiple finger rings, large circular ear ornaments, and a feathered headdress complete an exceptionally detailed ceremonial presentation.

Oklahoma City was established in the 1889 Land Run and became a commercial hub within the Unassigned Lands, with photographers such as Kingham serving both settlers and tribal peoples of the surrounding Indian Territory throughout the 1890s.

The mount reverse is blank. The recto imprint reads: J.B. Kingham, Between California and Reno, on Broadway, Oklahoma City, O.T.

From the collection of James Lee Soffer

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