Mountain Man-Frontiersman Seth Kinman - Searching for Specific Picture

[Tanselman]

I am trying to locate a specific original picture of flamboyant mountain man Seth Kinman...so that I can get a good copy of the picture to study his rifle and accoutrements. I have only seen the specific view on p. 17 of Madison Grant's book, "The  Knife in Homespun America." Kinman used a rifle supposedly made in Kentucky and used by a KY militia soldier at the Battle of New Orleans.

The specific picture card has an oval picture of Kinman standing in full buckskins (as he was always pictured), one leg crossed in front of the other and leaning on his old rifle. His large knife and bag & horn are very visible in the picture...and the horn appears to be a Tansel horn with large "fish mouth" at the throat. I've watched Ebay for quite a while and not seen this view of Kinman, but have talked to collectors who have seen it at shows or auctions in the past. Does anyone have this view/card of Seth Kinman?  Thanks,  Shelby Gallien

[Avlrc]

Here is a pretty good picture of him , standing & holding a rifle. Fourth picture down. I notice in most of his pictures he likes to cross his legs. Kind of has the relaxed look. 
https://alchetron.com/Seth-Kinman-1138402-W

[rich pierce]

He looks quite the showman.  Interesting rifle.

[Hungry Horse]

Seth Kinman was the Buffalo Bill Cody of the mountain men. He shamelessly promoted himself to every photographer that he could get to take his picture. He marketed himself to at least a couple of presidents with wild primitive chairs made from Elk antler, and rawhide. And, his wild hair, outlandish outfits,  and oversized knife, became fixtures in drawings by Frederick Remington. Kinman probably did more to mislead historians interested in the late fur trade reguarding the overall appearance of western fur trappers than any other person of the time.
 That being said the picture you seek is available on the net. I have seen it reproduced a couple of times, but don't remember the specific sight.

   Hungry Horse

[TMerkley]

The lock on the rifle definitely looks like a conversion with the Frizzen spring still on it.  Did anyone mention the caliber?

[Hungry Horse]

As I recall the caliber was quite large ( over .60 seems to ring a bell) Kinman was a hunter at Ft. Humbolt, supplying game to the fort. This provided him with the raw materials for his primitive furniture, mostly made from elk,and bear, parts.

  Hungry Horse

[Shreckmeister]

photo hosting sites

[ghost]

That chair gonna give me nightmares!

[Tanselman]

Thanks for the comments and postings, and these photos are close, but not the specific one that I seek. It is oval in shape, and shows a powder horn with a Tansel style fish mouth. I've seen all the photos when I Google "Seth Kinman" but have only seen the photo I seek in Madison Grant's book. Shelby

[Smoketown]

That chair gonna give me nightmares!

Me too !!! 

Only in California will one find 6 legged bears ...          

Cheers,
Smoketown

[Joe S.]

appears to be quite the character,always interesting reading about mountain men and their exploits.

[Hungry Horse]

Joe, he's not a mountain man, he was a hunter for Fort Humbolt, that wanted to be a mountain man. He never saw a Photographer he didn't  love. The mountain man era was long over when good old Seth started parading himself, and his son in front of the cameras. I M O Kinman is largely responsible for a lot of the misconceptions we have today about how mountain men looked.

  Hungry Horse

[Joe S.]

I get it,not in the true sense of the word but those where still some wild times.If history was truly honest most of the tales of all the colorful characters way baçk are taller than the folks there about.Not saying there's no truth in them,just a little more added for "color" is all.Made himself a nice living being colorful character,not many people live the life he led without acting a little bigger than they really are.

[vtbuck223]

"Mountain man"....."not in the true sense of the word"....I am familiar with the "mountain man era" and history....but can someone please enlighten me on what meets and doesn't meet criteria around designation of the term?

[Hungry Horse]

The fur trade as we know it ended for the most part around 1840. "Mountain Men" after that spent a lot of time guiding wagon trains West, and providing game meat to forts. A lot of them ended their days in California, living indoors, farming, and hunting, and fishing, kinda like retired people today.

  Hungry Horse