Young Cowboy

Additional Information

Provenance:
The Abe Hays Collection

Literature:
Young Cowboy by Will James, Charles Scribner's sons, 1935, illustrated on the cover
*A copy of this book to accompany this lot

Exhibitions:
Will James: Cowboy Artist and Author, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, Scottsdale, AZ, 2015-2016, 2019.

Originally published in 1935, Will James’ Young Cowboy was a children’s story told from a child’s perspective. In the story, young Billy Roper dreams of becoming a cowboy like his father. On his fourth birthday, Billy is given his first horse, a black horse named Big-Enough. The 72-page book chronicles the next several years as Billy and Big-Enough grow to trust each other so Billy can become a “good, all-around cowboy on his father’s ranch.” The book contains 15 illustrations, in addition to four color plates, a title label on the cover and the frontispiece, seen here. All were done by James. Later editions of the book moved this color image to the cover instead of the original black-and-white drawing.

In the story, James wonderfully captures Billy’s first ride: “Billy was a wolf; he’d turned challenger and was pawing the black from ears to rump. Daylight showed plenty between him and the saddle but somehow he managed to stick on and stay right side up. The horse, surprised at the change of events, finally let up on his bucking; he was getting scared and had found a sudden hankering to start running. After that it was easy for Billy; he rode him around the corral a couple of times and then, all smiles and proud as a peacock, he climbed off. Billy had ridden his first bronc.”

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DISCLAIMER

Please note that the first unframed photo is most accurate for color. Framed photographs are to show the frame and are not color corrected to the painting.

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