History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs.

MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine and James Hall.

Item Number: 146999

Kent, Ohio: Published by Volair Limited, 1978.

First Volair Limited edition of “one of the most important works ever published on the American Indians” (Field) including some of the greatest American hand-coloured lithographs of the 19th century. Octavo, original publisher’s full leather with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, silk moire endleaves, all edges gilt, ribbon bound in, illustrated with 120 color portraits after Karl Bodmer, Charles Bird King, James Otto Lewis and R.M. Sully colored by J.T. Bowen and others, maps at rear of Vol. II. One of 5,000 numbered copies, this is number 2606. In fine condition. Housed in the original publisher’s slipcase.

"Thomas Loraine McKenney (1785-1859) served as Commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1824 to 1830. In that capacity he commissioned and collected portraits of Native Americans for his Gallery in the War Department. McKenney's goal was to publish a record of vanishing peoples: portraits, biographical sketches and a history of North American Indians. He accomplished this in the first issue of the History of the Indian Tribes of North America, published in three volumes between 1838 and 1844. James Hall (1793-1868) provided the text" (University of Cincinnati Libraries).