Beschreibung:

McKENNEY, Thomas L. (1785-1859) and James HALL (1793-1868). History of the Indian Tribes of North America . Philadelphia: Edward C. Biddle (vol. 1), Frederick W. Greenhough (vol. 2), Daniel Rice and James G. Clark (vo. 3), 1836-1838-1844. 3 volumes, 2 o (500 x 354 mm). 120 hand-colored lithographed plates and uncolored lithographed map (Western Reserve blindstamp on each plate within image). Contemporary half calf (worn, covers detached). Provenance : William L. Marcy (name in gilt on cover label); Western Reserve Historical Society (inkstamps and blindstamps on titles). FIRST EDITION OF "THE GRANDEST COLOR PLATE BOOK ISSUED IN THE UNITED STATES UP THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION" (Reese). "Its long and checkered publication history spanned twelve years and involved multiple lithographers (mainly Peter S. Duval and James T. Bowen) and publishers, but the final product is one of the most distinctive and important books in Americana. Almost all the plates are portraits of individual Native Americans, the majority painted from life by Charles Bird King (who also reworked the less skilfull portraits of James Otto Lewis . The complicated circumstances of its production have left a bibliographical stew of issues and issue points that are yet to be satisfactorily resolved" (ibid.). The practice of taking portraits of the principal American Indians who came to Washington had begun as early as 1824. Chiefly painted by Charles Bird King they were deposited in the War Department. Col. McKenney, Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Washington, conceived of the plan of making a collection of biographies, enhanced by the addition of the portraits. A biographical sketch accompanies each portrait, and the work also contains a general history of the various Indian tribes within the borders of the United States. Bennett p. 79; BAL 6934; Field 992; Howes M-129; Reese Stamped with a National Character: Nineteenth Century American Color Plate Books 24; Sabin 43410a. Sold as a collection of plates, not subject to return. (3)