This is an original and scarce James Kenneth Ralston pen and ink cartoon advertising drawing for Snook Art Co. Billings, Montana and dating to circa 1930-1940’s. J.K. Ralston (American 1896-1987) was an accomplished painter of the Old American West who was born in Choteau, Montana in 1896, the 19th Century. Ralston’s works are on display at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, the Western Heritage Center, the Montana Historical Society and the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument Museum. This example is an original pen and ink drawing of an advertising for Snook Art Co. (Snook Trading Post) in Billings, Montana which is signed in the artwork, “JK Ralston”. This example shows the Snook Trading Post Express stagecoach with six horse team with western characters in cowboy hats and holding Winchesters. Under the artwork is hand drawn “Like the Concord Coach Pittsburgh Paint Products are Dependable Snook Art Co. Distributors – Billings / Christmas Gifts / Picture Framing / Auto-Window-Plate Glass / Waterspar Paints-Enamels”. Various graphite mark ups can be seen. The original cartoon advertising pen and ink drawing had been examined by the Western Heritage Center in Billings, Montana and Wally Badgett, cartoonist, and found to be authentic and the only known examples of cartoons done by J.K. Ralston, making them very scarce. They were valued at over $6,000 apiece. The artwork is done on paper and measures 15 5/8”x10 5/8” (currently displayed on shrink-wrapped matte board). The pieces were part of the original 2001 Snook Estate Auction and were mentioned as being part of the sale by the Billings Gazette. Original JK Ralston Artwork is immensely collectible an valuable with this being one of only four known cartoon advertising pieces ever produced by his hand, a truly important piece of Montana’s History.