Cover of Schild Ledger Book with note written in German by its then owner, Dr. E. H. Tips (see translation, below). Much of the information he provides about the drawings, including the time period, subject matter, and artist, is believed to be erroneous. Because the book passed through at least three families, the accounts about its derivation and creation—by a Comanche woman—may have been garbled over time. The Comanche loomed large in the history of the Fredericksburg area, where the Tips family once lived. It is perhaps understandable that the drawings were attributed to that tribe simply because of that aspect of regional history. The following translation of Dr. Tip's note was prepared for the Texas Memorial Museum by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Guenther in the 1960s:

The original picture book of Indians by the wife of Chief Bigfoot of the Comanche tribe of North Dakota. The artist called “Ollie” puts her life’s memories into the pictures. She reached the age of 80—covers a lengthy period and consists mainly of episodes between Indian tribes—Comanches and Cheyennes in the 40's of the last century.

The book was acquired through Indian Commissioner of U.S. Hermann Schild, together with a collection of weapons and utensils of the Comanches and Cheyennes during the time of his official activities and passed from the estate of his father in Fredericksburg, Texas—whom I knew personally—with the items in 1895.
the drawings are particularly valuable for showing the customs and habits, mode of living, and dress of a dying nation, but also in particular for the judgment of the artistic talents of a primitive people. The pictures are from the years 1840-1850.
                                                                                                                                Dr. E. H. Tips
                                                                                                                                (his son Carlos an artist)