Iron Tail, the Oglala Lakota leader whose profile later served as the primary model for the Indian Head nickel, is depicted here in a large-format cabinet card produced by Heyn Photo of Omaha, Nebraska, with a copyright date of 1900 printed in the lower left of the image. The photograph is mounted on a plain thick card stock, with the studio imprint "Heyn" lettered in script at the lower left and "Omaha, Neb." at the lower right, along with a penciled subject identification reading "Iron Tail" between them.

Iron Tail sits in a three-quarter pose against a painted studio backdrop, wearing two upright feathers in his long dark hair, a light printed shirt, a bone breastplate, and dark trousers with fully beaded leggings visible below the knee. He holds a long-stemmed pipe across his lap, and a buffalo hide or fur pelt is draped beneath and around him. Beaded moccasins are partially visible at his feet.

Iron Tail (Sinte Maza, c. 1842–1916) was an Oglala Sioux chief who participated in the Battle of Little Bighorn and later traveled extensively with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, where his prominent appearance brought him wide recognition and made him a frequent subject for studio photographers of the era.

The reverse bears a rubber stamp reading "Werner Paint Co., 2622 No. 72, 397-0441, Omaha, Nebraska 68134," a penciled notation "Pg" at right, and a price notation "41/150" at lower right. The photograph measures 14 by 11 inches.

From the collection of James Lee Soffer