I shopping for pictures that I can get permission to reproduce in a book, but don't know the best places to search. Historical Societies? Museums? Commercial stock services? Most of the stuff I'm looking for is probably in the public domain, but I'm hoping someone can tell me the best places to look. In particular, I'm searching for fairly standard stuff: dead (and live) Daltons, Leo Bennett, Charles Leflore, the Three Guardsmen, Al Jennings, George Maledon, etc. Any advice appreciated.
The Library of Congress has pictures of the old west. So do State Historical Societies. I'm trying to think where I've seen Dalton pictures. WOLA may can help. Then also people have websites, about their particuliar "outlaw", i.e.: BTK, Daltons, Wild Bunch. There's "Old West History . net", & "Texas by God The Twin Terriorties". I've seen great pictures on New Mexico's BLM site. I'm sure they all have copyright, & don't know how to go about that...but The Library of congress has some killer old west pictures, as best as I remember.
Mr. Meursault: If you go to OK Gen web, & hunt pictures, there are a couple of fine ones of OK Lawmen. One is a photo of 8 officers(wearing badges). The idenity of only one is known.(The relative is trying to see if anyone can identify the others.)(The other photo is of Perry ,Ok.Tet. Deputy U.S. Marshals, & clerks, no names with it.) Also on NARA; http://www.nara.gov/narann/nns/west Try this: starting with O8O.jpg] throughO86.jpg] there are old west pictures, & may be more on NARA. I have run across some fine material/pictures on thr Genweb & rootsweb sites(county), & just individual county sites.
From what I've seen, the Oklahoma Historical Society is probably the best regarding prices charged for "usage fees" in published works. They have a great selection and you will likely find the items you mentioned. If not, the Western History Collection at OU is probably the largest repository for images that you are interested in.
Good luck!
On the Trail Diron Ahlquist Secretary, Oklahombres Inc.
Posts: 333 | Location: Oklahoma City, OK | Registered: Wed December 10 2003
Another possible source for some of the names mentioned is the Western History Museum, University of Oklahoma. I think I've seen most of the names at the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Posts: 381 | Location: Elmore City, Ok, USA | Registered: Fri December 12 2003
Thanks for all your great suggestions. Looks like a quick trip to Oklahoma is necessary.
I did find one interesting picture in the National Archives, though I'm not sure I'm using the right search techniques. They have a great picture of Al Jennings I've never seen before, taken I believe when he was still in prison in 1902. What's odd is that this is a prison mugshot, face and side, and he's wearing a hat--I thought most mugshots forbid this. Also the picture was supposedly taken at Leavenworth, and I though he served his term in Columbus, Ohio, where his cellmate was O. Henry.
The use fees at the historical sites seem much more reasonable than the commercial shops, where a portrait of Bob Dalton, although available emblazoned on a coffee cup for $12, will cost about $640 for licensing. Still, since I get Chinese language rights, this is probably a great deal--Not!
