History of the Indian Tribes of North America

1855. McKENNEY, Thomas L. and HALL, James. History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred and Twenty os.Portraits. Phila.: T.K. & P.G. Collins for D. Rice & A.N. Hart, 1855. Large 8vos. 3 Vols. 120 handcolored lithographic plates by J.T. Bowen of Philadelphia, most after Charles Bird King. Publisher's brown morocco, covers elaborately blocked in blind, spines gilt in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in gilt in the second and fourth, the others ruled in blind with repeat decoration of a simple leaf tool, A.e.g. Extremities worn, a few small scuffs to board. Faint tidelines to top edge of the first third of the third volume, occasional light foxing and soiling. Very good. HOWES M129. Sabin 43411 (1854-56 ed. with 221 plates). Bennett, p.79 (ref). Field 992. Servies 4028. Miles & Reese, America Pictured to the Life 53 (1st octavo ed). McGrath, p.206. Reese, Best of the West 68 (ref). The third octavo edition of McKenney and Hall's classic work, after the first octavo edition of 1848-50, reduced from the folio format produced in 1836-44. The plates for the first four octavo editions were all produced by the same lithographer, J.T. Bowen, and the same high quality of printing and coloring of the plates is found throughout. McKenney and Hall's HISTORY OF THE INDIAN TRIBES OF NORTH AMERICA... has long been renowned for its faithful portraits of American Indians. The portrait plates are based on paintings by artist Charles Bird King, who was employed by the War Department to paint the Indian delegates visiting Washington, D.C., forming the basis of the War Department's Indian Gallery. Most of King's original paintings were subsequently destroyed in a fire at the Smithsonian, and their appearance in McKenney and Hall's magnificent work is thus our only record of the likenesses of many of the most prominent Indian leaders of the 19th century. Numbered among King's sitters were Sequoyah, Red Jacket, Major Ridge, Cornplanter, and Osceola. After six years as superintendent of Indian Trade, Thomas McKenney had become concerned for the survival of the western tribes. He had observed unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of the American Indians for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointme.