History of the Indian Tribes of North America

by McKENNEY, Thomas L. (1785-1859, editor), James HALL (1793-1868, writer), Charles Bird KING (1785-1862, painter); James Otto LEWIS (1799-1858, painter)

$120,000 · Offered by Biblio

Philadelphia: Edward C. Biddle, 1836; Daniel Rice, 1838; and James G. Clark, 1844. Folio; 3 vols. (20 1/16 x 14 1/4 inches). 120 hand-colored lithograph plates, map, and 17-page subscriber list present. State "A" of volumes one and three, state "B" (issued with part 16) of volume two. 19th-century half-Morocco to style over marbled boards, spines gilt. Within individual chemises and slipcases. First edition of this Americana highspot, a profusely illustrated record of prominent nineteenth-century Native Americans, which was "the grandest color-plate book issued in the United States up to the time of its publication." (Reese) Thomas McKenney, a Quaker, was Superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1816-1822. While in this post he became concerned for the survival of Western tribes after observing unscrupulous people taking advantage of Native Americans for profit. McKenney decided to create an archive to preserve the artifacts and history of Native Americans whose culture was disappearing due to settler-colonialism. A visit to the studio of artist Charles Bird King inspired McKenney to add portraits to his archive. McKenney helped start the first national collection in Washington, the Archives of the American Indian, and served as curator of this archive while he was Superintendent of Indian Affairs and head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Perhaps surprisingly, in his government role, McKenney advocated for Indians to be removed to somewhere west of the Mississippi and the portra

• Publisher: Edward C. Biddle, 1836; Daniel Rice, 1838; and James G. Clark, 1844
• Binding: unknown

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