Re: Supposed Jesse James tintype
In the 21st century, where everything has been photographed (and can be found on the internet), it's easy to think that such has always been the case.
It certainly wasn't that way in the 19th century, or in much of the 20th century either, and wishing (or the promise of a fortune) won't make it so. Oh well!
Re: Supposed Jesse James tintype
Another day, another Jesse James photo. How ever did he find time to rob all those banks?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskat...hoto-1.4638667
Excerpt:
****************
"After a few cold calls they connected with Kent Gibson, a forensic authenticator in L.A., who is renowned for his facial identification work.
"As a favour I gave them my input," Gibson said. Gibson explained to CBC News that he has developed a scientific test to score the authenticity of a photo, which he calls the Gibson Likeness Score, or GSL."
***********
Hmm, the "Gibson Likeness Score," developed by a "forensic authenticator," who is, perhaps not surprisingly, developing a television show. Dan
Re: Supposed Jesse James tintype
Doesn't look at all like Jesse James.
Re: Supposed Jesse James tintype
This might be of interest: "Adventures in Wonderland: Identifying Old West Photos," just published this month in the WWHA Journal, is my look at the use and misuse of facial recognition technology in authenticating -- perhaps a better word is alchemizing -- flea-market finds as valuable images of Old West celebrities like Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and Wyatt Earp.
The essay zeros in how Amazon Rekognition, Google Reverse Face Search, Google Arts & Culture, Face++, and Kairos can screw up facial comparisons of antique photos. A supposed photo of Wyatt Earp matched an actual photo of Earp, but matched as well images of Pat Garrett, General George Armstrong Custer, and Ringo Starr. The common link? Moustaches. Facial recognition technology is easily distracted.
I also delve into the media's affection for "Local Man Strikes It Rich" features, exemplified by a New York Times story published last November under the headline “A Photo of Billy the Kid Bought for $10 at Flea Market Might Be Worth Millions," which contained not a singe cautionary view. File under too good to check.
The article is in the September 2018 Wild West History Association Journal, online here:
https://wildwesthistory.org/assets/w...wonderland.pdf
Dan
EXCERPTS:
"Rumpelstiltskinning five-dollar flea-market photos into rare, valuable images of Old West celebrities has become increasingly popular since the Dedrick tintype of Billy the Kid fetched $2.3 million at auction in 2013. If lighting can strike once, why not on a regular basis?"
"I did a quick, back-of-the-envelope study of my own, uploading the face of the anonymous man [supposedly Wyatt Earp] in the Burger and Reed photo into Google Images’ Reverse Face Search, which scours millions of online photos. It returned only 15 “Visually Similar Images,” including Adolf Hitler, Abraham Lincoln, and George Orwell, but not Wyatt Earp."
Re: Supposed Jesse James tintype
Your article sounds very interesting, it is what fascinates me. People dreaming of a fast buck. It's what drove flocks of runaways and starlets to Hollywood, herds of beach metal detectors, swarms of estate sale junkies.
That guy that found the Billy the Kid playing croquet tintype had a convincing analysis, including from some good wetplate friends of mine. But I wondered the other day: did he actually find a BUYER? People buy things that have enough market sales to believe they are valuable. Pinkham and Smiths, for a while, for example. But after a while, the 2-3 sales a year grow old, and future buyers are fearful. Would YOU buy a Billy the Kid tintype for $1,000,000, just in case it would increase in your retirement?
Every year there are several people posting tintypes on several different hobby forums I attend. They are often dreaming. Same with authentic Bonny and Clyde firearms ...there are more unsubstantiated rare finds than buyers.
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Supposed Jesse James tintype
Here is Attachment 182664a photo spread from the article illustrating the problematic nature of facial recognition software in identifying people in antique photographs. A supposed photo of Wyatt Earp matched an actual photo of Earp, but matched as well images of Pat Garrett, General George Armstrong Custer, and Ringo Starr. The common link? Moustaches. Facial recognition technology is easily distracted.
Re: Supposed Jesse James tintype
Garrett,
to the best f my knowledge the tintype never sold, in fact, was taken off Amazon and the agent, Kagin's, no longer represents the seller. Also, the supposed location of the tintype, featured in the National Geographic Television program has been debunked. Even the programs's executive producer now agrees they got the location wrong. In other words, the tintype no longer has any geographic provenance, which had been the one valuable clue in the entire pageant. As far as we now know, the tintype could have been taken anywhere. Dan