A routine trip to a local flea market led attorney and author Frank Abrams to an extraordinary discovery—five tintype photographs that would ultimately challenge more than a century of accepted history surrounding one of America’s most legendary outlaws, Billy the Kid.
In 2011, Abrams purchased the photographs without knowing their potential historical significance. Five years later, following extensive forensic analysis and scholarly review, experts concluded that two of the figures depicted in the images were Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett, the lawman who would eventually kill him.
The discovery forms the foundation of Abrams’ new book, “The Slander of Billy the Kid and the Abrams Tintypes,” which explores the photographs, the investigation surrounding them and the intense debate that followed their authentication.
The book takes readers beyond the familiar mythology surrounding Billy the Kid and into a historical investigation that raises questions about how one of the American West’s most recognizable figures has been portrayed for generations. The photographs became the center of a controversy that challenged long-established assumptions and reopened discussions about Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett and the events surrounding their lives.
Abrams chronicles the process of examining the tintypes and the resistance that accompanied claims about their identities. What began as an unexpected flea market find became a years-long effort involving forensic examination, historical research and scholarly scrutiny.
For Abrams, the discovery also represents the intersection of his lifelong interest in photography with his professional background. A licensed attorney, he has spent four decades practicing federal and state criminal law. His first book, The Cockfight, explored themes of injustice and redemption.
His interests extend beyond law and writing. Abrams holds a patent for a new type of banjo and is the founding member of the Old and Rare Camera Collector Page, reflecting his longstanding fascination with photography and historical cameras.
The Slander of Billy the Kid and the Abrams Tintypes presents the story behind the photographs while examining the controversy surrounding their identification and historical importance. Whether readers are fascinated by the Old West, photography, forensic investigation or historical mysteries, the book offers a compelling look at how an unexpected discovery can prompt new questions about a story believed to have been settled for generations.
Abrams’ account invites readers to examine the evidence for themselves and consider what these remarkable photographs may reveal about Billy the Kid and the world of the American frontier.