African Americana

3 7/8 x 5 7/16 in. albumen cabinet photographs (minor toning, occasional spotting). Photographer's imprint to mount rectos. One inscribed to the recto in ink: “Rufe Turner of California” and dated “March 31, 05” on verso. The other with a pencil inscription to mount verso: "Rufe Turner of California 1905 March 31." Provenance: Lot 256 of The Road West: The Steve Turner Collection of African Americana, Part I. 20 February 2020. 
 
Both images show Turner in dynamic, bare-knuckle boxing poses wearing his dark shorts, a white sash belt, and leather shoes. Turner was a lightweight boxer from Stockton, CA, brother to Charley “The Stockton Tornado” Turner who claimed colored middleweight champion in the 1890s. Rufe fought for the Lightweight Championship of the World during his career. In 1914, he moved to Manila, the Philippines as a boxing instructor and also took occasional bouts winning the Lightweight Championship of the Orient in 1917. These images were taken just four days after Turner’s second bout with Lightweight Champion of the World Joe Gans (1874-1910) in Philadelphia, a fight that resulted in No Decision after 6 rounds.