American Historical Ephemera & Photography

2 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. card with the penciled signature "Geronimo," and typed notations at right and left, "Written this side up...His signature, St. Louis Mo, 1904," with initials "K M B." Framed together with a 2 x 3 in. reproduction of the photograph of Geronimo kneeling, holding an 1873 Springfield carbine rifle, 8 x 13 3/4 in. overall. (Penciled signature very good, light soiling and some creasing to the card, unexamined outside frame). Accompanied by a photocopied letter dated 15 May 1908 indicating that the signature was acquired by a "Mrs. Buswell" while in St. Louis, "at the modest price of 10 cents." Also enclosed is a photocopied Certificate of Authenticity issued by Joe Rubinfine, 19 June 2014. 

Geronimo (Goyaale or Goyathlay) was a Chiricahua military leader who was believed by his followers to have some spiritual "powers," such as the ability to walk without leaving tracks and to survive gunshots. He led raids on both sides of the Southwestern border, eluding capture by both the Mexican and US Armies for nearly three decades. He is often considered the last "hold out," refusing to recognize American occupation of the region, and leading an independent band of native people.

Geronimo was finally captured in 1886 by a troop of the 4th Cavalry led by Captain Henry Lawton under General Nelson Miles. Geronimo himself gave credit to 1st Lieutenant Charles Gatewood, whom he knew and who spoke some Apache, as being the person who convinced him to surrender, but Lawton gave credit to a number of his men, and, of course, many others claimed the feat over the years. Geronimo would spend the remainder of his life as a prisoner of war. After he was moved to Fort Sill, OK in 1894, Geronimo was given some freedom. He was allowed to visit the 1901 Pan American Exposition in Buffalo and the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, and he rode in Theodore Roosevelt's inaugural parade. He was not, however, permitted to return to his homeland.

At some point in his captivity, Geronimo learned to read a bit and write his name, and later even embraced Christianity. His writing always had a child-like quality, and he preferred pencil to pen. He seemed to like to embellish his signature, sometimes putting designs in the "G," as in this signature, and occasionally filling in the "Os." Sometimes all letters were serifed, sometimes only a few were.