Description:

Cody William 1846 - 1917 PSA Mint condition Buffalo Bill signed Wild West show ticket. Amazing!



William Cody signs a"Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World" ticket, 4.75" x 2.25" dated "1899", and boldly signed in graphite by William Cody as "WF Cody". "The Rough Riders of the World" was the name of Cody's show beginning in 1893. The full ticket is PSA/DNA authenticated, graded and slabbed as a GEM MT 10 mint condition.

Wild West shows were traveling vaudeville performances in the United States and Europe. The first and prototypical Wild West show was Buffalo Bill's formed in 1883 and lasting until 1913. Perhaps part of the popularity of Wild West shows can be attributed to the feeling of celebration and conquest they evoked. They celebrated the achievement of the frontier movement as being the most important accomplishment in American history. The shows were a winning combination of history, patriotism, and adventure which managed to create an enduring spirit of the "unsettled" west and capture audience's hearts throughout America and Europe.

Wild West shows contained a lot of action. Wild animals, trick performances, theatrical reenactments, and all sorts of characters from the frontier were all incorporated into the show's program. Theatrical reenactments included those of battle scenes, "characteristic" western scenes, and even hunts. Shooting exhibitions were also in the line up with extensive shooting displays and trick shots. Competitions that came in the form of races between combinations of people or animals exhilarated and stimulated the audience. Equally exciting were rodeo events, involving rough and "dangerous" activities performed by cowboys with different animals. In short, Wild West shows began to include any type of "western" event that could in any way appeal to the audiences. Those watching the show would have been credulous and excited by the idea of a rough, wild frontier. They were enthralled by the west, and Wild West shows were the answer to popular demands. Wild West shows preserved the disappearing world of the "unsettled" and "untamed" west and brought it to life for audiences.

Buffalo Bill grew up on the frontier and loved his way of life. As he got older, some of his titles he earned included buffalo hunter, U.S. Army scout and guide, and showman, as well as Pony Express Rider, Indian fighter, and even author. Whatever Cody's titles, he was destined for fame. His track of fame began as with his reputation as a master buffalo hunter. While hunting buffalo for pay to feed railroad workers, he shot and killed 11 out of 12 buffalo, earning him his nickname and show name "Buffalo Bill." At the turn of the twentieth century, William F. Cody was known as ‰Û÷the greatest showman on the face of the earth'". Cody had full domination of the Wild West show business.

An wonderful example, and scarce in this condition.

Provenance: The full ticket is PSA/DNA authenticated, graded and slabbed as a GEM MT 10 mint condition.

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