"EXTREMELY RARE “SUN DANCE” CEREMONY IMAGE – ca. 1885-90. This rare image should be considered unique; no copy has been found in auction records or in any permanent collection. The “Sun Dance” Ceremony was rarely photographed, as it was usually prohibited by the participants. Young braves participating in the ceremony would dance around a fixed pole with ""rawhide thongs pegged through the skin of their chests."" This ceremony was recorded as early as the 1840s by George Catlin. The paper label on the front of the card reads, “An original picture of the famous ‘Sun Dance’ by the Sioux Indians which took place just before the ‘Battle of Little Bighorn’”. In original ink on the reverse, Burleson inscribed his typical name and unit designation, along with “Date not known”. The photographer’s name is obscured; however it is certainly James Wagner, who was active at Ft. Niobrara, Neb. around 1885, and at this Valentine, Neb. address around 1890. This could be a negative from a much earlier image, as it has been originally darkened along the line of the rope, and around the outline of the dancing Sioux warrior. The “Last Sun Dance of the Five Warrior Cousins” in 1877, was held in honor of Crazy Horse’s victory at Little Big Horn and presided over by Chief Flying Hawk; who was present at the death of Crazy Horse and the Battle of Wounded Knee. The cataloger personally considers this image to be unattainable in any other format. Image tonality good overall, pinholes at corners, minor fading. Oversize Boudoir Cabinet card measures 6.5” by 8.5”. Sgt. Willard M. Burleson Collection . SET OF WOUNDED KNEE, S.D. CARDS FROM WILLARD M. BURLESON COLLECTION (EAch will be listed separatly) – ca. 1890. This final group of 9 oversize cabinet cards from Nebraska, South Dakota, and the Northwestern Photographic Company were all personally collected and inscribed by Sgt. Willard M. Burleson. The 6th Cavalry was called to combat the “Ghost Dance” ceremony of the Sioux, and traveled by rail to Rapid City, South Dakota, arriving Dec. 9, 1890. Troop G did not participate at Wounded Knee on Dec. 29, 1890, but was part of the campaign that essentially ended the Indian Wars. Nearly 300 Sioux Indians were killed at Wounded Knee, many were women and children, 31 soldiers also lost their lives. This incident, known as the Wounded Knee Massacre, served as a rallying cry for the Native American people for many years. THE SGT. WILLARD M. BURLESON PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION – 6TH U.S. CAVALRY - FROM FORT UNION, N.M. TO WOUNDED KNEE, S.D. – ca. 1887-1891. This historic archive of 19th century photogh offers a rare glimpse into the frontier life of a late Indian Wars soldier, Sgt. Willard M Burleson, Troop G, 6th Cavalry. There are 36 photographs overall, 22 of which are originally inscribed with Burleson’s signature, rank, and his own historical notes, spanning the Apache campaigns of Arizona and New Mexico, to Wounded Knee, South Dakota. The collection includes a rare un-published image of Fort Union, N.M., a series related to the attempted capture of the “Apache Kid” an ex-scout who became the Southwest’s most wanted renegade, and a series related to the infamous Wounded Knee campaign. These photographs all have an extremely unique historic provenance, besides the series that were dated, identified, and inscribed by Burleson himself over 120 years ago; there are numerous other Southwestern images from the Burleson Estate.Sgt. Burleson was born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1868, and enlisted as a private on May 2, 1886 in 6th Cavalry, Troop G, serving five years. Also enlisting in 1886, General John “Black Jack” Ketchum was serving in 6th Cavalry, Troop L, and participated in the same Apache Campaigns. After his return to Michigan, Burleson attended Medical School and eventually became the owner of the noted Burleson Sanitarium in Grand Rapids, MI., one of the largest sanitariums in the world during that time. In an interesting note, Willard Burleson III, a noted Brigadier-General at the Army’s Mission command Center of Excellence in Leavenworth, Kansas, is directly related to Sgt. Willard M. Burleson."

As seen, some wear as expected for age. Condition listed in description.