124

Illustrated on the front-end sheet in Rhymes from a Round-Up Camp (1903) by Wallace Coburn. Signed by Charles M. Russell; and signed and dated by Wallace Coburn with an inscription to Julian Beard.

According to Russell biographer Dr. Larry Len Peterson, “In Russell’s illustration career, there was no more important and popular book than Rhymes from a Round-Up Camp. It was reprinted for decades. The famed publication featured cowboy poetry by Wallace Coburn and contained eight line engravings by Russell. Coburn, of the Circle C Ranch near Malta, Montana had long been friends with Charlie and shared with him a deep appreciation of Indian culture, partially demonstrated in Coburn’s sizable collection of Indian artifacts and knowledge of sign language. Like so many of Russell’s friends, Coburn was restless: he owned the Bison Motion Picture Theater in Malta; organized the Great Western Film Company in St. Paul; and eventually landed in Hollywood in 1918, hoping to make it big in the fledgling Hollywood movie industry. Compared to other Russell extra-illustrated works, this watercolor is an exceptionally bright and detailed example.”

PROVENANCE
Wallace Coburn, Malta, Montana, 1903
Julian Beard
Joseph Rubinfine (historical manuscript dealer), Cocoa, Florida, 2019
Private collection

LITERATURE
Larry Len Peterson, Charles M. Russell, Legacy: Printed and Published Works of Montana’s Cowboy Artist, C. M. Russell Museum, 1999, pp. 69-70
Larry Len Peterson, Charles M. Russell, Photographing the Legend: A Biography in Words and Pictures, University of Oklahoma Press, 2014, p. 40

Condition ReportBook is in good condition with some light wear. The page with watercolor is in excellent condition, and colors are bright.

Important Notice: Statements of condition are provided as a service to potential bidders; such statements are educated opinions and should not be regarded as facts. The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction has no responsibility for any errors or omissions.