Happy Birthday Charlie

"Five, five, five who'll give me ten, now fifteen, fifteen, fifteen sold to #71."

I had bought 3 boxes unseen.  - The auction lasted over 5 days and I arrived on day 3.  And the items were numerous.  Unfortunately I was not to learn the real value of the boxes until it was to late.  You see they were in the basement when my home was vandalized and the basement ended up more than a foot deep in water.

Inside one box was  a scrapbook and two photograph albums.  There were several pages of photos recording a funeral.  The funeral of Charlie M. Russell.

Both of these stamps depict some of Charlie Russell's paintings.  I believe he created over 1400 pieces of art (sketches, paintings, sculptures).  

He was 16 when he came to Montana.  He started by working with a sheepherder. He had always wanted to be a cowboy and soon followed his dream.  He sketched the land and people as he kept watch over the cattle.  In 1886-87 blizzards killed thousands of cattle in Montana.  

Charlie Russell painted a postcard sized painting later named "Waiting for the Chinook" and mailed it off in response to an inquiry about the well-being of the owner's herd.  This painting told it all and was to mark the turning point in Charlie's career.

http://www.cowboysong.com/cards/cardsridgleya1.html

In 1888 Charlie lived among the Bloods in Alberta Canada (part of the Blackfeet nation).  Many of his paintings told of life in the west from the Indian point of view.

The Custer Fight

"The Gift" by Ian Tyson     http://youtu.be/GPpBHAgP7Zs

Further Exploring

Charles M Russell Museum https://www.cmrussell.org/

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-charlesrussell.html

Nancy Russell http://montanawomenshistory.org/behind-every-man-nancy-cooper-russell/