For your consideration is this original David Francis Barry (1854-1934) photo of California Joe, from the ex-collection of the C.M. Russell Museum and John Kleinschmidt. David Francis Barry (1854-1934) was one of the most noted photographers of the American Indian and U.S. Army participants in the Sioux War of 1876 and is attributed with some of the most recognizable surviving images from this period in the history of the American West. Barry first came to the west in the 1870’s to apprentice under photographer O.S. Goff, who worked as the photographer at Fort Abraham Lincoln. It was from this post the Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer led his Seventh U.S. Cavalry division in May 1876 to the battle of the Little Bighorn in southwestern Montana. This is considered one of the largest collection of Barry photographs from one historic Montana family offered for public sale. This photo shows Moses Embree "California Joe" Milner (1829-1876) posing for a portrait photo as he holds his pipe in his mouth and looks to the viewers right. He is wearing a large, thick jacket and a hat, while his beard covers the lower half of his face. Moses Embree "California Joe" Milner, born on May 8, 1829, in Stanford, Kentucky, set off on a bold adventure westward at the tender age of fourteen to pursue the rugged life of a mountain man. His military career began during the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), where he served as a scout for General Kearny and Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan, leader of the Missouri Mounted Volunteers, traversing New Mexico and Chihuahua. In 1849, he was briefly captured by Utes but managed to escape swiftly. In 1850, Milner returned home and married Nancy Watts, who was just thirteen at the time. Together, they embarked on an extraordinary honeymoon, journeying over 2,000 miles across plains and mountains in a wagon to seek fortune in California's goldfields. Their efforts paid off to some degree, and by 1853, Milner had established a cattle ranch in Oregon, carving out a new chapter in the untamed West. The photo is blind stamped reading, "Barry" and is matted once in its wood frame. The photo features two museum tags from the collections time spent in the C.M. Russell Museum. The first tag reads, "1396-87 O'Dell" while the second is glued to the frames glass reading, "California Joe". The photo shows good condition overall with little to no wear present and no signs of damage are noted. The visible photo measures 5 5/8" L x 3 5/8" W, while the entire piece measures 10 1/4" L x 5 7/8" W x 5/8" D. It weighs 10 ounces. Provenance: From the John Kleinschmidt collection which was on loan to the C.M. Russell Museum from 1987 to 1993 and included in the "The Cowboy West: 100 Years of Photography 1992-1993 exhibit.