This arresting cabinet card, taken in Oakley, Idaho by the photographer Mrs. R. I. Mills, captures a vivid and timeless portrait of five rugged Western men from the late 19th or very early 20th century. The image radiates strength, camaraderie, and a quiet intensity that invites speculation about the identities and lives of its subjects. The five men are posed against a painted studio backdrop that includes drapery and a classical vase stand, subtly contrasting with the grit and rough-hewn realism of the men themselves. Two sit in the foreground, legs crossed with a relaxed authority, while three stand behind them. All are dressed in frontier attire: wide-brimmed hats, wool coats, high boots, and neckerchiefs. Their layered clothing suggests the chill of the high desert West. The expressions vary slightly—some show stoic resolve, others a more neutral bearing—but none of the men are smiling. Their faces are rugged, with prominent cheekbones, strong jaws, and thick mustaches. The man at center back smokes a cigar, and one gets the sense that these are men of action—likely cowboys, ranchers, or possibly even lawmen or miners. The man seated at the right front—wearing a wide-brimmed hat, dark scarf, and white canvas trousers with riveted side seams—commands particular attention. His intense gaze and imposing posture suggest he may have been a leader among them. The others wear expressions of cool composure, unified by the weathered look of men who knew hard labor or possibly the frontier justice of the American West. Written in blue ink on the reverse of the card is an identification key, apparently penned by someone familiar with at least some of the sitters: James D. Glenn, Frank Taylor, Mr. Johnson. An inscription reveals that the men are all friends of James Glenn. It is likely that this photograph belonged to Mr. Glenn. This photograph was taken by a female photographer. Mrs. R. I. Mills was an early female photographer working in the American West—an unusual and significant occupation for a woman at the time. Her studio was located in Oakley, Idaho, a small Mormon-founded settlement in Cassia County. Historical records show that Mrs. Rachel I. Mills operated a photography studio in Oakley in the late 19th century. She was part of a small but growing number of frontier women who ran their own commercial photography studios. Though little has been published about her biography, her studio was active around the 1880s–1890s, a time when Oakley was transitioning from a pioneer settlement into a more established town with irrigation agriculture and Mormon communal development. Founded in the early 1880s by Mormon settlers, Oakley was a rural, religiously conservative community that grew around farming and ranching. It sat on the edge of the high desert and became a local hub for commerce in southern Idaho. During the time this photograph was likely taken—circa 1890—Oakley would have been a small but lively town, with residents involved in cattle ranching, grain farming, and trade. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
Oh Wow!
What a shot. I’m doing a book on the time period, concentrating on the look of the wild west. I have NEVER seen those pants!
Just amazing!
SJR
The Pink Flamingo
Those are not pants, they are chaps. Chaps are made of leather and are worn over pants and protect the cowboy’s legs from brush and thorns while riding. The studs on the chaps are called conchos. They are silver disks, often with stamping or engraving on them, and are decoration. What is really interesting about this photograph is the spur straps on the boots. You will notice the buckle and ends of the straps wind up on the inside of the foot (between the feet). Spurs are worn with the buckle and excess strap to the outside of the foot so they do not trip the cowboy while walking. Also notice that the bandanas (also called wild rags) are worn over neckties. No cowboy wore a wild rag over a tie. I’d say these guys are dressing the part for the photo and are not ‘real’ cowboys.
Rod
Oakley, Idaho
Thanks for your informative comment. Your assessment that the cowboys may be playing dress up was interesting. The fact that photography studios used props in their images, sometimes makes it difficult to confidently make assumptions about the subjects based on outfits or items in the photographs. What was Oakley, Idaho like in the 1890’s? Was it a town that had a lot of ranches and cattle?