This cabinet card is a terrific image of a Native American dressed in his tribal clothing. He has a bird on his head that looks as weathered as he does. The bird may be a turkey vulture. Hopefully, a visitor to this site with some ornithology knowledge, can better identify or confirm the bird’s species. What an amazing photograph? However, is it a counterfeit cabinet card? I located the cabinet card in an antique store and purchased it with a great deal of reluctance. Native American cabinet cards have a history of being a popular type of cabinet card to counterfeit, due to their potential high value and strong demand. There are a number of methods to make fake images. This photograph does not seem to be a product of a high tech copy machine. However, the image could be a Native American postcard pasted over an “ordinary” cabinet card image. This cabinet card, if not the image, is from the studio of C. S. Roshon of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The photograph was produced in 1892. Perhaps a traveling western show was in the area of Lebanon; or perhaps Roshon purchased this image to sell at his galleries. The Roshon Galleries were located at 142 North 8th Street, and 22 South 9th street, in Lebanon. Roshon also had a studio somewhere in New Jersey. Any comments from Cabinet Card Gallery visitors, regarding the authenticity of this cabinet card, would be greatly appreciated. To view other photographs from Roshon’s studio, click on the category “Photographer: Roshon”.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 