Bold and eccentric, Seth Kinman carved a legendary name for himself on the American frontier, and this early 1864 Brady CDV captures him in all his untamed glory. Seated and gripping his flintlock rifle, Kinman wears a full fur coat and his signature feathered cap. The image was entered into the Library of Congress in 1864, as noted on the mount, just one year before he would famously present President Lincoln with one of his infamous elk horn chairs.

Kinman was not only a hunter and trapper but also a relentless self-promoter. He fashioned chairs from elk, grizzly, bear, and even buffalo bones, gifting them to presidents in exchange for national recognition. His chairs were bizarre and grotesque folk art trophies that reflected both his hunting prowess and his flair for dramatic political theater.

Published by Brady, Washington, this image is an earlier variant than many seen from 1865 onward. A striking portrait of one of the 19th century’s most colorful—and shamelessly promotional—figures of the American West.