On eBay Now...Antique 1890s Family Camping Photo Faux Annie Oakley "Okley" Research Hoax Bx 22 For Sale
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Antique 1890s Family Camping Photo Faux Annie Oakley "Okley" Research Hoax Bx 22:
$58.99
Description:Up for sale is a truly unique piece of Americana folklore, estate sale history, and a complete "collector's detective file." This lot features an original, authentic antique late-Victorian vernacular photograph depicting an American family on a wilderness camping trip, outfitted with period firearms and canvas wall tents.The $175 Estate sale Backstory:
This photo was originally purchased by my mother at a local estate sale. She was heavily duped by the sale company, who explicitly advertised and labeled the item on the official buyer's ticket as a rare "Annie Oakley sure shot pic", driving her to offer a ridiculous $175.00 to win it. The sale company based this on the old handwritten text on the matting which reads: "Annie Okley - Sure Shot".The Family Theory & Research File:
Because Annie Oakley famously had no children, my mother spent hours researching her family tree to prove the photo's authenticity. Her compelling theory was that the woman holding the gun was Annie, the man beside her was her husband Frank Butler, and the second couple pictured was Annie's sister and brother-in-law, to whom the children belonged.Ultimately, further archival tracking and the phonetic misspelling of the name as "Okley" proved that the inscription was either a playful family inside joke from decades ago or a deceptive trick by a past dealer.What is Included in this Antique Archive Lot:
- 1x Original Antique Photo: Posing family with firearms outside a canvas tent (Approx 6.5" x 5.5" outer matting).
- Original sale Ephemera: The actual, original Mikolajewski sale Service receipt showing the $175 purchase price, the original lot card, and the sale advertisement.
- Mother's Handwritten Research: The actual pages of handwritten notes and family tree tracking compiled during her investigation into Annie's life.
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