3 vols. iv, 333; iv, [3]-319; iv, 17-392 pp. Illustrated with 121 lithographed plates, most hand-colored, a few printed in color. 11¼x7¾, original cloth, wood grain endpapers (possibly later?).
Magnificent series of hand-colored portraits of the Indians of North America, the 1836-38-44 folio first edition of which was described by Field as "one of the most costly and important ever published on the American Indians. The plates are accurate portraits of celebrated chiefs, or of characteristic individuals of the race, and are colored with care, to faithfully represent their features and costumes." Howes notes the plates as "mostly the work of King," and declares that they are "the most colorful portraits of Indians ever executed... The original oil paintings of which the plates were copies were all destroyed in the 1865 Smithsonian fire." Originally issued in 20 parts over eight years, with various Philadelphia publishers, Biddle being the primary one. Although the present set states 100 portraits on the title-page, there are actually 121 listed, and all are present. Of these, most bear the imprint of Rice & Rutter, and are hand colored; 5 of the plates state "Lith, Printed & Cold. by J.T. Bowen," and several of these with imprint of Rice & Hart; a small number of plates at the beginning of Vol. I bear no imprint, and are printed in color. The pages of this set, which is in the original cloth, are untrimmed. (Field 992); Howes M129.
Condition:
Rubbing to the cloth, spine well worn, pieces missing, portion of Vol. I spine strip detached but present, joints cracked; cracking to hinges within, 2 title-pages detached, some marginal dampstaining in Vol. I but affecting no plate images, mild marginal darkening, p.145-6 of Vol. II torn & repaired, overall very good, plates bright, worthy of restoration to the bindings.