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 606

Real Photo Postcard, Chippewa Chief John Smith "Old Wrinkled Meat"

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

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 portrait of Chippewa Chief John Smith also known as "Old Wrinkled Meat" proported to be 1e38 years old when he died in 1922. This elderly Native American man profile fills the frame of this striking real photo postcard, rendered in warm sepia tones with a close cropped composition that places his deeply lined face at the center of attention. The photograph was mailed in 1916 and originated from Elliher, Minnesota, situating it within the broader tradition of early twentieth century documentary portraiture of Indigenous peoples produced across the northern plains and Great Lakes regions.

The subject , Chief John Smith wears a large feathered headdress with long pale plumes extending upward and outward, partially cropped at the upper left edge of the image. His wrinkled face in three-quarter profile reveals extraordinarily deep facial lines and heavily textured skin, conveying his advanced age. A small round earring is visible at his ear, and he wears what appears to be a plain woven cloth garment at the shoulder.

The tight framing and dramatic tonal contrast suggest a photographer with deliberate artistic intent, using close proximity and a plain light background to isolate the subject's face as the sole expressive element of the composition.

The reverse bears a one-cent green Washington stamp, a postmark reading Elliher, Minn., Jul 28, 6 AM, 1916, and a handwritten address to Mrs. F. H. McChesney, 708 E. Pearl St., Butler, Pa., along with a handwritten message in ink. A penciled notation reading 125 appears at the top.

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