Novelty Arcade Photo Studio
[Studio Cowboys, 3 Men]

CultureAmerican
Titles
  • [Studio Cowboys, 3 Men]
Date1910s–1940s
MediumGelatin silver print
DimensionsImage: 5 3/8 × 3 3/8 in. (13.7 × 8.6 cm)
Sheet: 5 3/8 × 3 3/8 in. (13.7 × 8.6 cm)
Credit LineBarbara Levine and Paige Ramey Collection, museum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment Fund
Object number2020.137.5.135
Non exposé

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Department
Photography
Object Type
DescriptionAt the turn of the 20th century, tourists and partygoers documented their adventures with souvenir photographic postcards. Photo studios catering to this clientele were popular attractions at state fairs, carnivals, and arcades across America. These personalized penny postcards were mailed across the country to family and friends or kept as personal mementos. One of the favored studio props was the “carnival cowboy”—an outrageous Western outfit and a saloon backdrop. Clients indulged their cowboy dreams and produced a whimsical souvenir.
ProvenanceBarbara Levine and Paige Ramey; purchased by MFAH, 2020.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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