Michael Lehr Antiques
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Winter 2026 Unsold Lots

Sun, Feb 1, 2026 09:00AM EST - Sat, Feb 28, 2026 12:00AM EST
Lot 274

Council Meeting of Omaha Indians, Stereoview by Hamilton & Hoy

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Albumen stereoview depicting a council meeting of Omaha Indians gathered outdoors beneath a large tree, photographed by the western firm Hamilton & Hoyt. The carefully arranged scene shows a mixed assembly of Omaha leaders, men, women, and children, seated and standing in a semicircle around a central table. Several figures wear traditional dress and blankets, while others appear in Euro-American clothing, underscoring the transitional period in Plains Indian life during the mid- to late nineteenth century.

Behind the group, a large tent or lodge is erected, with flags prominently displayed, adding a formal, diplomatic tone to the gathering and suggesting an official council or treaty-related meeting rather than a casual encampment scene. The stereoscopic format lends depth to the composition, with tall grass in the foreground and layered figures receding toward the tree line, a hallmark of field stereography of the period.

Hamilton & Hoyt are best known for their documentation of Native American tribes and western expansion, and this image fits squarely within their ethnographic and documentary output. The view is numbered in the negative and printed on a yellow mount typical of commercial stereoview production of the era.

Condition shows light overall toning, minor surface wear, and edge wear to the mount consistent with age and handling. A strong and historically important stereoview documenting Omaha leadership, council practice, and nineteenth-century Plains diplomacy, with clear appeal to collectors of Native American photography, western Americana, and early stereoscopic views.

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