W.I. SWAIN'S WESTERN SPECTACULAR PRODUCTION JESSE JAMES. "HANDS UP SHERIFF?" "THE PRISON IS NOT BUILT THAT WILL HOLD JESSE JAMES."

[Wild West Show Poster]:

Published by Newport, Ky.: The Donaldson Litho. Co., [ca. 1920].

About this Item

An attractive poster advertising one of W.I. Swain's popular touring western shows, this one featuring Jesse James, who in this portrayal has an African-American as a member of his gang. The illustration shows three men on the right edge with their hands held high, while a fourth man next to them weakly drops his gun. On the left side a cocky man in a white shirt (presumably James) points a six shooter at the men across the room, while a blonde woman in a red dress stands with one foot on a chair and the other on a desk, also pointing guns at the men. Anomalously, in the center of the image, through a window, a Black man in a red shirt also points two guns at the men on the right, while inside the room a Black woman kneels and pleads with the man in the window. Colonel W.I. Swain was one of the most successful tent showmen in the South. He often toured a minstrel show, putting on a different performance every night for a week. The shows were continued by Swain's son, Kennedy, well into the 1940s. Several tears at edges, two of them significantly affecting the image. Some chipping and loss along top left and lower right edges, also a bit in top right corner. Still, a striking image. Good plus.

Seller Inventory # 48854

Bibliographic Details

• Title: W.I. SWAIN'S WESTERN SPECTACULAR PRODUCTION JESSE JAMES. "HANDS UP SHERIFF?" "THE PRISON IS NOT BUILT THAT WILL HOLD JESSE JAMES."
• Publisher: Newport, Ky.: The Donaldson Litho. Co., [ca. 1920].