Envelope or Cover
by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody and John "Texas Jack" Baker Omohundro
Envelope or Cover. Very good. One cover, illustrated with a running buffalo, is for Buffalo Bill’s Combination. It was sent from New York to Newark, New Jersey in January 1883. The text reads, “Eleventh Consecutive Season / Season of 1882 to 1883 / Bill Combination / Hon. W. F. Cody, proprietor and Manager. / Johs R. Ogden, Business Manager.”
The other cover, illustrated with a cowboy pursuing a buffalo, is for the Texas Jack Combination. Although the postmark is undated, it was mailed around 1883 as well. . As noted at the Buffalo Bill Museum website, his first foray into show business began on December 17, 1872, at the urging of dime-novelist Ned Buntline who had made him famous. Buntline created a dramatic stage play, Scouts of the Prairie, in which he starred along with Cody and another famous scout, “Texas Jack” Omohundro. Although panned by critics, the show was a hit with the public, and Buffalo Bill became a star and found his passion for entertaining.
The following year, Cody organized his own acting troupe, which he named the Buffalo Bill Combination. It featured Texas Jack and Wild Bill Hickcok who performed in a new show, “The Scouts of the Prairie.” Wild Bill, who disliked acting and often hid behind the scenery, left the group after first shooting out a spotlight that that focused on him during a performance.
Texas Jack eventually left the theater troupe to start one of his own, however Buffalo Bill’s company continued to perform until the 1882-1883 season (as advertised on this envelope) after which he established his famous outdoor spectacular circus-like attraction, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.Texas Jack soon did the same.
(For more information in addition to that found at the Buffalo Bill Museum, see “The Texas Jack Combination” at the Dime Novel website, and Jones’s “Oh, give me a home. . ..” at the Fluvana Country Historical Society website.
Two very scarce pre-Wild West show western theatrical advertisements. . (Inventory #: 010406)
The other cover, illustrated with a cowboy pursuing a buffalo, is for the Texas Jack Combination. Although the postmark is undated, it was mailed around 1883 as well. . As noted at the Buffalo Bill Museum website, his first foray into show business began on December 17, 1872, at the urging of dime-novelist Ned Buntline who had made him famous. Buntline created a dramatic stage play, Scouts of the Prairie, in which he starred along with Cody and another famous scout, “Texas Jack” Omohundro. Although panned by critics, the show was a hit with the public, and Buffalo Bill became a star and found his passion for entertaining.
The following year, Cody organized his own acting troupe, which he named the Buffalo Bill Combination. It featured Texas Jack and Wild Bill Hickcok who performed in a new show, “The Scouts of the Prairie.” Wild Bill, who disliked acting and often hid behind the scenery, left the group after first shooting out a spotlight that that focused on him during a performance.
Texas Jack eventually left the theater troupe to start one of his own, however Buffalo Bill’s company continued to perform until the 1882-1883 season (as advertised on this envelope) after which he established his famous outdoor spectacular circus-like attraction, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.Texas Jack soon did the same.
(For more information in addition to that found at the Buffalo Bill Museum, see “The Texas Jack Combination” at the Dime Novel website, and Jones’s “Oh, give me a home. . ..” at the Fluvana Country Historical Society website.
Two very scarce pre-Wild West show western theatrical advertisements. . (Inventory #: 010406)
(571) 409-0144
