Exceptional cabinet card portrait of a Native American man identified in the lower left of the image as WA CO MO, produced under the auspices of the Department of the Interior / U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, directed by F.V. Hayden.

WA CO MO stands in full regalia — draped in a blanket and adorned with beadwork, dentalium shell and fur-trimmed necklaces, and an elaborate feathered roach headdress. He holds a feathered fan in one hand and a pipe tomahawk in the other. His powerful stance and direct gaze speak volumes, and the clarity and tone of the photograph are superb.

These images were taken as part of the Hayden Survey's ethnographic documentation efforts in the 1870s. Photographers working with Hayden, most notably William Henry Jackson, captured numerous Native leaders and representatives during the U.S. government's western expeditions. The cabinet card mount features the ornate typography typical of Hayden Survey portraits and is clean and well-preserved.