I’m impressed with the procedure used to authenticate the photo. They found a diary that describes a wedding attended by Billy and friends. They determined which ranch and even traveled there to find a part of the original building thats shown in the photo.
Story is on their front page right now. It’ll probably get moved later. The uncropped photo is included.
I’m amazed they claim this one tintype might be worth 5 million. Especially since Billy is way in the background. Yeah, its very cool. I saved the jpeg to my hard drive. But I wouldn’t give them 500k for it. Even if I was filthy rich. I’d buy a Lamborghini or a Matisse painting before I’d buy a tiny tintype for millions. YMMV
Wow. Thanks for the heads-up.
What got me is it was purchased among other stuff for $2USD and now insured for 5 million.
I wish I could get that lucky. 
A question.
This is a candid photo. Seems like some posed and a couple people weren’t. The lady on the horse for example doesn’t look posed. It doesn’t look like photos where people had to stand perfectly still for several minutes. Would that newer camera technology been available in 1878?
Billy died July 14, 1881. 2 years after this photo.
I never imagined Billy playing croquet, or wearing such stylish apparel. What would such a sweater (?) be called?
Billy and the Regulators? Sounds like a name for a British pop band from the '60s
I am laughing here because you got a copy of it for free. When you get your Lamborghini and take me to see your Matisse I will buy you lunch.
As an amateur history buff I can see the potential of insurance of such a rare find.
No snark intended…
Just a point in time captured on film. (or tin).
Actually, it’s a current blues band.
It took more than luck to turn this into something worth millions. It took knowledge of what it actually was.
I wonder what the process was? Did the purchaser think he might have something valuable from first seeing it? Or did he start researching the history casually, only twigging to the fact that it was something significant after digging for a while?
He looks a little like Casey Affleck (if he had a major stroke).
I’m guessing its the croquet.
Yes. Photography had advanced.
In bright daylight one didn’t have to stand still for 30 minutes.
The tin-type in someways still look posed understandably.
Did “regulators” have a different meaning or connotation at that time?
Maybe I should use that for the design of my giant statue.
The Regulators were a group that participated in the Lincoln County Cattle War. They were formed to “regulate” what they believed to corruption in local law enforcement.
In Andersonville Prison Camp during the Civil War, a group of Regulators was formed among the Union prisoners to control the Raiders, a gang that was robbing and killing other prisoners.
I imagine there were other groups of “Regulators,” informal groups to enforce law and order where there was little or none.
Considering how…homely…he is in the existing photos, Billy is probably the historical figure with the greatest disparity between his actual appearance and the actors who have portrayed him, including Paul Newman, Val Kilmer, Kris Kristofferson, Emilo Estevez, and Johnny Mack Brown.
Yeah. Did they sell propane and propane accessories?
I used to live about an hour or so drive from there. There is a certain charm to the sparse surroundings out in SE NM
This is really exciting. I was really into Billy the Kid history when I was younger.
The sweater is such a hilarious contrast to his popular image. He looks like a 19th century Urkel.
I wonder what that guy to Billy’s right is pointing at. It’s like he’s pointing at something he wants the photographer to take note of.
The other known photo of Billy sold for $2.3M and it’s a lot better portrait of him.
I remember on a PBS special how Billy’s gf commented how that one particular known photo of him at the time, just didn’t do him justice at all and wasn’t a fair depiction of him. Maybe she was just madly in love, or it could have been bad lighting.
Anyway, thanks for the cool find, I love looking at old pics like that.
That was taken when he was just a killer. Now he’s a sports star.
