Toy soldier on stretcher and Buffalo Bill photo

[Texasbadger]

Hey guys snagged a batch of stuff from some pickers who bid on past due storage units, one is a metal soldier on a cot and the other is a Buffalo Bill  card with facsimile signature,,,any particular value to either?  Ive had the soldiers before and dont know if cot is original to the soldier as the 82nd Airborne guy was a medic so he may have made the cot.  Also a very nice top hat by an English maker Thanks

[Texasbadger]

Oops heres the photo card

[wendy177]

Hi Tex Your toy soldier was produced by Manoil Manufacturing Co., Inc.  2 brothers Maurice & Jack Manoil, emigrated from Rumania in the early 1900s. They began production of toy soliders in 1935 at 34 West Houston Street, New York City. From company records it is 30 wounded soldier (lying) No cot  From the look of paint loss around $15.00 .As for your Top hat what is it made of? I have seen some Moleskin & some black beaver  from $85.00 to $900.00  As for Buffalo Bill No clue but really cool!!!

[Texasbadger]

Thanks Wendy, the top hat is not beaver more silk like a tux, and springs up from flat to tophat  instantly, way outside my normal comfort range on old stuff but since I was sorting,,,Im hoping the Cody signature is original, but either way!

[wendy177]

Tex check out this site  http://www.houseofdeception.com  scroll to the bottom of page  and use tool bar "house of deception at a glance" - click on Buffalo Bill cody's hand writing -- scroll down page to page 2 and check out the signature from 1892  I'm no expert but  looks to be a really really good match!!!!!!  With the top hat They often used a polished fur felt to give the appearance of silk, will keep searching on that one I think the maker is the key.

[KC]

http://www.mcmahanphoto.com/lc171.html
another example of his signature
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.photoshop-pro.com/oldphotos/images/eastman/eastman-8.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.photoshop-pro.com/oldphotos/eastman.html&usg=__HKkZk8Il8cEIFnkG5gt4W3-E3eg=&h=609&w=400&sz=25&hl=en&start=14&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=bwOTlVNYNS-b4M:&tbnh=136&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dphoto%2Bcard%2Bbuffalo%2Bbill%2Bcody%2Bin%2Bsuit%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

Book on collections
http://www.amazon.com/W-F-Buffalo-Collectors-Guide-Values/dp/1574320084


Interesting enough I have noted that a Mary Gester ALLEN (LATER married Stowe) owned copyrights to pictures of him.  She was the first wife of John Stowe (not mentioned here because his current wife never knew of the first one for many years and was angered to find out and didn't acknowledge it!)  John owned a traveling show (as his dad) and was a relative of Harriet Beecher Stowe!
http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/berrien/obits/s/stowe734nob.txt

[Texasbadger]

Thanks guys I had bookmarked the house of deception site and emailed photos of the card to the author of that article, hopefully he will respond.  Hoping its a signature and not a printed card and signature with a period photo glued onto it, it looks dead on to me!  Im off to Barnes and Noble they have that book!
I put the card into a photograph sleeve, but heres a closeup, I think it has a chance.

[wendy177]

Tex so excited for you keeping my fingers crosssed it is the real deal!!!!!!! What a great piece of history!!! Please let us know asap if you get any word!!!!

[KC]

Wishing you the best....

[Chinese Antique Furniture]

Fun stuff!

I'm hopeful!!!

[Dean Perdue]

Yeah- Good luck on it.

[Texasbadger]

Im trying to keep it reasonable, a facsimile signature, got photos to a couple of authorities on the subject but the blue color matches exactly the ornate wreath around the photo, so Ill be pleasantly suprised if its not.