Robert Johnson’s Third Photograph : Legit or Fake?

On a recent post, I mentioned the possibility of existing a third photograph of Robert Johnson. He is supposed to be posing together with his friend Johnny Shines, with whom he used to travel.

Johnson (?) on the left and Johnny Shines on the right.

Steven “Zeke” Schein purchased over eBay a photograph he claims is of Robert Johnson and Johnny Shines, for about $2000.

He is already on a quest for it’s authentication, showing it to Claud Johnson and guitarist Honeyboy Edwards. A specialist looking into it said it was quite possible the photograph is actually of Johnson himself. Shines, the man with Johnson on the photo, had previously claimed he once posed with him for a photo that went into the local papers, but never appeared again.

Further expert analyzation has shown some similarities between this and the other two known Johnson’s photographs, such as the thin and long fingers.

The search for concrete proof is still not over, and a lot more questions have to be answered. We might just never know.

References: Honeyboy Edwards, People: Third RJ Photo Found, Robert Johnson Notes, Guitars Seminars Discussion : Third RJ photo?, Robert Johnson : New Third Photo?.