Information relating to Charles M. Russell's paintings; copy of TU2009.39.2472. Information relating to Charles M. Russell's paintings entitled "Free Trapper", "Wolf Men", "Vaqueros of Old California", and "Rattle Snakes Rattle but Cows Ring Their Tails".

P I C T U R E S By Charles M. Russell Name:Size:Description:Price: “Free Trapper” (Oil)15” x 20”Free Trapper is very beautiful in color - in fact brilliant with color as t he northwest sunsets often are. A free trapper is a man who traps and gets his furs by trading with any band of Indians he wishes to, not working for any one company. Free trapper usually traded with the Indians for such things as guns, powder, lead, calico, beads and iron. There is a record of a trade where an Indian gave a pile of beaver hides packed down flat the height of a flintlock gun for the gun. The old fashioned flintlock before it was cut off was about five feet long which shows the value the Indians put on a gun. $5,000.00 “Wolf Men” (Oil)24” x 36”In the old days, the leaders or Indians who traveled in front were called “Wolf Men”. They were usually the smartest of the band and would pick out the hunting ground as well as camp cites. The Medicine Man usually headed the band and he was often called the Head Man. The Medicine Man with coup or medi- cine stick, can be distinguished in this picture. One Indian is making the sign "to kill" which makes one think they are on a hunting expedition. $10,000.00 “Vaqueros of Old Californina” (Oil)24” x 36”This scene is, laid back of Santa Barbara on Dwight Murphy's Ranch. The equipment of the vaquero refers back to the old Spanish cow business in California and, of course, the long horn cattle came from Mexico. The country is decidedly Cali- fornia with live oaks, wild oats, poppies and lupen. I do not need to tell you what they are doing, you probably know a great deal more about the life than I do. $10,000.00 “Rattle Snakes rattle but Cows ring their Tails” (Water Color)20” x 30”These are northern cow boys and this old cow is on the fight. She is letting them know she has no intent on of' allowing them to rope her calf if she can help it. It is sagebrush, flat country with the typical buttes rising up out of the prairie in the North. The drawing, as you can see is perfect in the pic-. ture. $3,500.00

[Transcribed by Lauren B. Gerfen, 2011-11-11]

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