1870s Stereoview of ARCHERY CLUB with DEFIANT GIRL Bows & Arrows BULLSEYE TARGET Possibly NEWBURYPORT MA

Item Details

Stereoview photograph of an archery club, possibly in Newburyport, Massachusetts, circa 1870s to 1880s. The photographer is not identified. The view also is not identified, but it came with a collection of Newburyport, Massachusetts, stereoviews. It shows eight men, nine women, and one young girl posing for their likeness in a field. They are grouped around a bullseye target and hold bows and arrows. The men and women are of different ages, both young and old. I particularly like the defiant looking young girl at center—the American Girl on Fire! The sport of archery became quite popular in the United States in the 1870s, especially among women. Maurice Thompson published a series of articles on the sport in Scribner’s Monthly in 1877 that helped to fuel enthusiasm for archery. Clubs were formed in many cities around this time. I did some searches for archery clubs in Newburyport and Massachusetts but could find nothing definitive. The stereoview is in good to very good condition with light wear and soiling. Note the rubbing at the corners of the card. The photographs exhibit good to very good tonal range and shows very good detail. A very rare early archery image and a fun bit of early sports history.