History Of The Indian Tribes Of North America, With Biographical Sketches And Anecdotes Of The Principal Chiefs. Embellished With One Hundred And Twenty Portraits, From The Indian Gallery In The Department Of War, At Washington. - By Thomas L. M'Kenney, Late Of The Indian Department, Washington, And James Hall, Esq. Of Cincinnati. - Vol. I.

Thomas Loraine McKenney

RA Collection: Book

Record number

06/4943

Author

Thomas Loraine McKenney

Imprint

London:: J.M. Campbell, 156, Regent Street. -, MDCCCXXXVII.

Physical Description

vi, 44, 128 p., frontis., [29] pl.; 527 mm. (Folio.)

General Note

Volume I of this London edition was first issued in parts during 1837 and 1838.

[Frontis., t.p., dedic.] - War Dance Of The Sauks And Foxes ... Explanation of the Plate. By Caleb Atwater, Esq - History Of The Indian Tribes Of North America - Biography [and Plates].

Responsibility Note

The frontispiece is signed, 'On stone by Corbould from a Painting by P. Rindisbacher. Printed by C. Hullmandel.' It carries the imprint, 'London: Published by Campbell and Burns.' Five plates carry signatures. Three name the source-artist as the painter C.B. King. Two name the lithographer as L. Lima; one, as Corbould; one, as J.W. Gear; one as [illegible]. Three name the lithographic printer as C. Hullmandel; two, as W. Clerk. Each of the five carries the imprint of the publishers, Campbell and Burns. No other plate is signed.

The text printer is named on the verso of the title page: 'London: William Wilcockson, Rolls Printing Office.'

The book is dedicated by J.M. Campbell (the publisher) to King William IV (London, April, 1837).

References

The Paintings of Charles Bird King, ed. A.J. Cosentino [exhibition catalogue] (1977); H.J. Viola, The Indian legacy of Charles Bird King (1976); J.D. Horan, The McKenney-Hall portrait gallery of American Indians (1974).

H.J. Viola, Thomas L. McKenney, Architect of America's Early Indian Policy (1974); T.L. McKenney, Memoirs (intro. H.J. Viola) (1973).

M. Twyman, 'Charles Joseph Hullmandel, lithographic printer extraordinary', in Lasting impressions, ed. P. Gilmour (1988), p.42-90, 362-7; M. Twyman, Lithography 1800-1850 (1970).

Summary Note

Volume I had first been published in America in 1836. Volume II followed between 1838 and 1842, and Volume III appeared in 1844. Volume I of this London edition first came out in parts during 1837 and 1838.

The frontispiece shows a 'War Dance Of The Sauks And Foxes'. The plates are portraits showing members of the Seneca, Shawnee, Osage, Chipewa, Choctaw, Creek, Sioux, Chippeway, Cherokee, Winnebago, Otto(e), Shawanoe, Sauk, Ojibway, Pawnee and Musquakee nations. Several show chiefs; four show women. All are coloured lithographs.

C.B. King's portraits of American rulers were almost all destroyed by fire in 1865.

Provenance

28 December 1837: 'Produced Specimens of a Work on the Northern Tribes of America, now in the course of Publication by M.^r Campbell at 35s. per Number - M.^r Leslie moved & was seconded by M.^r Etty, that the Academy subscribe for a Copy of the above work for the Library ...' (RA Council Minutes VIII, 386). It is worth noting that although born in England C.R. Leslie had been brought up in Maryland, USA before returning to England in 1811 and enrolling as a student in the RA Schools two years later.

26 June 1838: '4 first numbers of M.^r Campbell's work of the Indian Tribes' - payment of bill for £7.0.0 approved (RA Council Minutes, VIII, 418).

29 August 1838: payment of £1.15s. for a further [i.e. 5th] number passed for payment (RA Council Minutes, VIII, 435).

The front pastedown is inscribed in pencil, 'CLE', i.e. Charles Lock Eastlake RA, who served as Librarian of the Royal Academy from July 1842 to December 1844. The fact that there is no volume number on the spine suggests that by the time it was sent to the binder it had been decided not to continue the Academy's subscription for the work.

Copy Note

A copy of the first volume only, apparently consisting of the first five numbers issued in this edition.

Binding Note

19th-century half calf, brown embossed cloth-covered boards; gilt-decorated spine, red morocco spine label lettered 'M'Kenney & Hall. Indian Tribes', spine lettered 'R.A.'

Name as Subject

Charles Bird King

Subject

Indigenous peoples - Celebrities - Rulers - North America - United States - History - 19th century
Paintings - Portraits - 19th century
Biography - Ethnology - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Lithographs - Colour printing - Hand coloring - Great Britain - 19th century

Contributors

James Hall
William IV King of Great Britain, dedicatee
Charles Bird King, source artist
Charles Joseph Hullmandel, lithographic printer
William Clerk, lithographic printer
John W. Gear, lithographer
J. M. Campbell, publisher
Peter Rindisbacher, source artist
William Wilcockson, printer