9 results found
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859) and James HALL (1793-1868) History of the Indian Tribes of North America Philadelphia: T.K. & P.G. Collins for D. Rice & A. N. Hart, 1855. 3 volumes, 8vo (10 1/4 x 6 3/4 inches). 120 hand-colored lithographic plates by J.T. Bowen, most after Charles Bird King. (Repaired tear to blank margin of contents leaf of vol.III, occasional light spotting and soiling). Publisher's brown blind-stamped morocco, spine in six compartments with five raised bands, lettered in gilt in two, the others with repeat decoration in blind, g.e. (neat repairs to joints). Provenance: Geo. S. Mcphaill (signature in vol.I). 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 colouring of the plates is found throughout. McKenney and Hall's Indian Tribes of North America has long been renowned for its faithful portraits of Native Americans. The portrait plates are based on paintings by the 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 nineteenth 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 Native Americans for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointment by President Monroe to the Office of Indian Affairs. As first director, McKenney was to improve the administration of Indian programs in various government offices. His first trip was during the summer of 1826 to the Lake Superior area for a treaty with the Chippewa, opening mineral rights on their land. In 1827, he journeyed west again for a treaty with the Chippewa, Menominee , and Winebago in the present state of Michigan. His journeys provided an unparalleled opportunity to become acquainted with Native American tribes. When President Jackson dismissed him from his government post in 1830, McKenney was able to turn more of his attention to his publishing project. Within a few years, he was joined by James Hall, a lawyer who had written extensively about the west. Both authors, not unlike George Catlin, whom they tried to enlist in their publishing enterprise, saw their book as a way of preserving an accurate visual record of a rapidly disappearing culture. (Gilreath). McKenney provided the biographies, many based on personal interviews, and Hall wrote the general history of the North American Indian. Howes M129; McGrath p.206; cf. Miles & Reese America Pictured to the Life 53 (first octavo edition); Sabin: 43411 (1854-56 edition with 221 plates); Servies 4028. #20398$22,500.00
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859) [and James HALL (1793-1868)] History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred Portraits from the Indian Gallery in the War Department at Washington Philadelphia: Caxton Press of Sherman & Co. for D. Rice & Co., 1872-1874. 3 volumes (text: 2 volumes, royal 8vo [10 7/16 x 7 1/4 inches; atlas of plates folio [20 x 14 inches]). Text: "Billy Bowlegs" portrait as frontispiece to volume II of text; atlas of plates: 120 hand-coloured lithographs after Karl Bodmer, Charles Bird King, James Otto Lewis, P. Rhindesbacher and R.M. Sully, drawn on stone by A. Newsam, A.Hoffy, Ralph Tremblay, Henry Dacre and others, printed and coloured by J.T. Bowen and others. Expertly bound to style in uniform navy half morocco over the original blue cloth-covered, richly gilt spines divided into five compartments with raised bands, lettered in the second and fourth, the others with repeat decorative motif built up from small tools, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. The last folio edition of one of the most important 19th-century works on the American Indian, and one of the most important colour plate books produced in America in the age of lithography The first folio edition was issued by E.C. Biddle from 1836 to 1844, and reissued by F.W. Greenough and Daniel Rice. The number of different printers and lithographers involved in the project speaks to the complicated production of the most elaborate plate book published in the United States up to that time. The present final edition of McKenney & Hall was issued by the firm of D. Rice, whose father took over the initial project as publisher in the early 1840's. This edition differs from the original folio edition in significant ways. Most importantly, a plate is added, the portrait of the Seminole chief Billy Bowlegs which appears as a frontispiece in the second text volume, making this the most complete form of the work. Also, this edition was published without the map, table, and facsimile signatures of subscribers which appeared in the original edition, and also removes James Hall's name from the titlepage, only crediting McKenney. This edition is also unusual for the number plates that are included with no publisher's credit line. The reason for this is not known, but Christopher W. Lane states that 'there was no single date at which these no-imprint variants were run off'. In other words, they could date from the 1830's onwards, although he goes on to note that their first recorded appearance is in an 1842 issue of volume I of the 3-volume folio edition. McKenney and Hall's Indian Tribes of North America has long been renowned for its faithful portraits of Native Americans. The portrait plates are based on paintings by the 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 nineteenth 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 Native Americans for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointment by President Monroe to the Office of Indian Affairs. As first director, McKenney was to improve the administration of Indian programs in various government offices. His first trip was during the summer of 1826 to the Lake Superior area for a treaty with the Chippewa, opening mineral rights on their land. In 1827, he journeyed west again for a treaty with the Chippewa, Menominee , and Winebago in the present state of Michigan. His journeys provided an unparalleled opportunity to become acquainted with Native American tribes. When President Jackson dismissed him from his government post in 1830, McKenney was able to turn more of his attention to his publishing project. Within a few years, he was joined by James Hall, a lawyer who had written extensively about the west. Both authors, not unlike George Catlin, whom they tried to enlist in their publishing enterprise, saw their book as a way of preserving an accurate visual record of a rapidly disappearing culture. (Gilreath). McKenney provided the biographies, many based on personal interviews, and Hall wrote the general history of the North American Indian. OCLC 35709791; this edition not in Field, Howes, or Sabin #3884$120,000.00
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859) and James HALL (1793-1868) History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred and Twenty Portraits Philadelphia: T.K. & P.G. Collins for D. Rice & A. N. Hart, 1855. 3 volumes, octavo (10 1/2 x 6 7/8 inches). 120 coloured lithographic plates (3 tinted frontispieces finished by hand, 117 hand-coloured plates), by J.T. Bowen of Philadelphia, most after Charles Bird King, text lightly browned as usual, occasional light finger soiling. Contemporary American red morocco gilt, covers elaborately blocked with a panelled design including arabesque cornerpieces of stylized foliage, spines in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in the second and fourth, the others with an overall design of small tools, gilt turn-ins, gilt edges. The third octavo edition of McKenney and Hall's classic work McKenney and Hall's Indian Tribes of North America has long been renowned for its faithful portraits of Native Americans. The portrait plates are based on paintings by the 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 nineteenth 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 Native Americans for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointment by President Monroe to the Office of Indian Affairs. As first director, McKenney was to improve the administration of Indian programs in various government offices. His first trip was during the summer of 1826 to the Lake Superior area for a treaty with the Chippewa, opening mineral rights on their land. In 1827, he journeyed west again for a treaty with the Chippewa, Menominee, and Winebago in the present state of Michigan. His journeys provided an unparalleled opportunity to become acquainted with Native American tribes. When President Jackson dismissed him from his government post in 1830, McKenney was able to turn more of his attention to his publishing project. Within a few years, he was joined by James Hall, a lawyer who had written extensively about the west. Both authors, not unlike George Catlin, whom they tried to enlist in their publishing enterprise, saw their book as a way of preserving an accurate visual record of a rapidly disappearing culture. McKenney provided the biographies, many based on personal interviews, and Hall wrote the general history of the North American Indian. Reduced from the folio format produced in 1836-44, the first octavo edition was published between 1848-50. 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 colouring of the plates is found throughout. Howes M129; McGrath p.206; cf. Miles & Reese America Pictured to the Life 53 (first octavo edition); Sabin: 43411 (1854-56 edition with 221 plates); Servies 4028. #4611$27,500.00
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859) and James HALL (1793-1868) 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. Philadelphia: T.K. & P.G. Collins for D. Rice & A. N. Hart, 1855. 3 volumes, octavo (10 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches). 120 coloured lithographic plates (3 tinted frontispieces finished by hand, 117 hand-coloured plates), by J.T. Bowen of Philadelphia, most after Charles Bird King. Publisher's red morocco gilt extra, covers elaborately blocked with a panelled design including arabesque cornerpieces of stylized foliage, spines in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in the second and fourth, the others with an overall design of small tools, gilt turn-ins, g.e. Provenance: J. W. Singleton (contemporary signature on endpapers). 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 colouring of the plates is found throughout. McKenney and Hall's Indian Tribes of North America has long been renowned for its faithful portraits of Native Americans. The portrait plates are based on paintings by the 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 nineteenth 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 Native Americans for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointment by President Monroe to the Office of Indian Affairs. As first director, McKenney was to improve the administration of Indian programs in various government offices. His first trip was during the summer of 1826 to the Lake Superior area for a treaty with the Chippewa, opening mineral rights on their land. In 1827, he journeyed west again for a treaty with the Chippewa, Menominee and Winebago in the present state of Michigan. His journeys provided an unparalleled opportunity to become acquainted with Native American tribes. When President Jackson dismissed him from his government post in 1830, McKenney was able to turn more of his attention to his publishing project. Within a few years, he was joined by James Hall, a lawyer who had written extensively about the west. Both authors, not unlike George Catlin, whom they tried to enlist in their publishing enterprise, saw their book as a way of preserving an accurate visual record of a rapidly disappearing culture. Howes M129; McGrath p.206; cf. Miles & Reese America Pictured to the Life 53 (first octavo edition); Sabin: 43411 (1854-56 edition with 221 plates); Servies 4028. #22365$25,000.00
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859) and James HALL (1793-1868) 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 Philadelphia: Edward C. Biddle, 1836 [Vol. 1], Daniel Rice and James G. Clark, 1842 [Vol. 2], Daniel Rice and James G. Clark, 1844 [Vol. 3]. 3 volumes, folio (20 1/8 x 14 inches). 120 hand-coloured lithographic plates after Karl Bodmer, Charles Bird King, James Otto Lewis, P.Rhindesbacher and R.M.Sully, drawn on stone by A.Newsam, A. Hoffy, Ralph Trembley, Henry Dacre and others, printed and coloured by J.T. Bowen and others, vol.III with two lithographic maps and one table printed recto of one leaf, 17pp. of lithographic facsimile signatures of the original subscribers. With a very rare publisher's slip laid into vol. 2, signed in print by Edward Biddle and dated 17 October 1842, concerning the transfer of publication rights to Rice and Clark. Expertly bound to style in green morocco over period green moire cloth covered boards, spine with raised bands in seven compartments, lettered in the second and fourth, the others with a repeat decoration in gilt, marbled endpapers. A fine set of "One of the most costly and important [works] ever published on the American Indians" (Field), "a landmark in American culture" (Horan) and an invaluable contemporary record of a vanished way of life, including some of the greatest American hand-coloured lithographs of the 19th century. 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 Native Americans for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointment by President Monroe to the Office of Indian Affairs. As first director, McKenney was to improve the administration of Indian programs in various government offices. His first trip was during the summer of 1826 to the Lake Superior area for a treaty with the Chippewa, opening mineral rights on their land. In 1827, he journeyed west again for a treaty with the Chippewa, Menominee, and Winebago in the present state of Michigan. His journeys provided an unparalleled opportunity to become acquainted with Native American tribes. When President Jackson dismissed him from his government post in 1839, McKenney was able to turn more of his attention to his publishing project. Within a few years, he was joined by James Hall, the Illinois journalist, lawyer, state treasurer and from 1833 Cincinnati banker, who had written extensively about the west. Both authors, not unlike George Catlin, whom they tried to enlist in their publishing enterprise, saw their book as a way of preserving an accurate visual record of a rapidly disappearing culture. The text, which was written by Hall based on information supplied by McKenney, takes the form of a series of biographies of leading figures amongst the Indian nations, followed by a general history of the North American Indians. The work is now famous for its colour plate portraits of the chiefs, warriors and squaws of the various tribes, faithful copies of original oils by Charles Bird King painted from life in his studio in Washington (McKenney commissioned him to record the visiting Indian delegates) or worked up by King from the watercolours of the young frontier artist, James Otto Lewis. All but four of the original paintings were destroyed in the disastrous Smithsonian fire of 1865 so their appearance in this work preserves what is probably the best likeness of many of the most prominent Indian leaders of the early 19th century. Numbered among King's sitters were Sequoyah, Red Jacket, Major Ridge, Cornplanter, and Osceola. This was the most elaborate plate book produced in the United States to date, and its publishing history is extremely complex. The title pages give an indication of issue and are relatively simple: volume I, first issue was by Edward C. Biddle and is dated 1836 (present copy) or more usually 1837, the second issue Frederick W. Greenough with the date 1838, and the third issue is by Daniel Rice & James G. Clark dated 1842. Volume II, first issue is by Frederick W. Greenough and dated 1838 and the second issue by Rice & Clark and dated 1842 (present copy). Volume III, first issue is by Daniel Rice & James G. Clark and dated 1844. BAL 6934; Bennett p.79; Field 992; Howes M129; Lipperhiede Mc4; Reese Stamped With A National Character 24; Sabin 43410a; Servies 2150 #26608$150,000.00
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859) and James HALL (1793-1868) War Dance of the Sauks and Foxes On stone by Corbould from a painting by P. Rindisbacher. Printed by C. Hullmandel. London: Published by Campbell and Burns, 1837. Hand-coloured lithograph. Very good condition, skilfully repaired 2" tear at left. Image size (including text): 8 3/4 x 14 1/2 inches. Sheet size: 12 x 19 1/8 inches. From the extremely rare London edition of McKenney and Hall's "History of the Indian Tribes of North America," unrecorded at auction for the last 25 years, and printed by the famous London lithographer Hullmandel. McKenney and Hall's "Indian Tribes of North America" has long been renowned for its faithful portraits of Native Americans. The portraits are largely based on paintings by the 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 nineteenth century. Numbered among King's sitters were Sequoyah, Red Jacket, Major Ridge, Keokuk, and Black Hawk. 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 Native Americans for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointment by President Monroe to the Office of Indian Affairs. As the first director, McKenney was to improve the administration of Indian programs in various government offices. His first trip was during the summer of 1826 to the Lake Superior area for a treaty with the Chippewa, opening mineral rights on their land. In 1827, he journeyed west again for a treaty with the Chippewa, Menominee, and Winebago in the present state of Michigan. His journeys provided an unparalleled opportunity to become acquainted with Native American tribes. When President Jackson dismissed him from his government post in 1830, McKenney was able to turn more of his attention to his publishing project. Within a few years, he was joined by James Hall, a lawyer who had written extensively about the west. McKenney and Hall saw their work as a way of preserving an accurate visual record of a rapidly disappearing culture. (Gilreath) Cf. Howes M129; cf. Bennett 79; cf. Field 992; cf. Lipperheide Mc 4; cf. Reese, American Color Plate Books, 24; cf. Sabin 43410a. #8398$1,250.00
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859), and James HALL (1793-1868) 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 Philadelphia: J.T. Bowen, 1848-1849-1850. 3 volumes, octavo (10 3/16 x 6 1/2 inches). 120 hand-coloured lithographed plates, many heightened with gum arabic, by J.T. Bowen chiefly after Charles Bird King, 1 hand-coloured dedication "To the memory of Washington" bound as a frontispiece to vol.I (the 'Hunting the Buffalo' plate and related text bound at the rear of vol.I). (Scattered foxing to the text and tissue guards, the plates generally clean). Contemporary black morocco gilt, covers bordered in gilt and blind and with a large centrally placed gilt arabesque, spines with semi-raised bands in six compartments, lettered in the second and fourth, the others with a repeat decoration in gilt, yellow endpapers, gilt edges (expert restoration to the spines). Provenance: M. Keffer (bookplate on the front pastedowns). The first octavo edition of McKenney and Hall's classic work. 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 Native Americans for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointment by President Monroe to the Office of Indian Affairs. As first director, McKenney set out to improve the administration of Indian programmes in various government offices. His first trip was during the summer of 1826 to the Lake Superior area for a treaty with the Chippewa, opening mineral rights on their land. In 1827, he journeyed west again for a treaty with the Chippewa, Menominee , and Winebago in the present state of Michigan. His journeys provided an unparalleled opportunity to become acquainted with Native American tribes. When President Jackson dismissed him from his government post in 1829, McKenney was able to turn more of his attention to his publishing project. He was joined by James Hall, the Illinois journalist, lawyer, state treasurer and, from 1833, Cincinnati banker, who had written extensively about the west. Both authors, not unlike George Catlin, whom they tried to enlist in their publishing enterprise, saw their book as a way of preserving an accurate visual record of a rapidly disappearing culture. The text, which was written by Hall based on information supplied by McKenney, takes the form of a series of biographies of leading figures amongst the Indian nations, followed by a general history of the North American Indians. The work is now famous for its colour plate portraits of the chiefs, warriors and squaws of the various tribes, faithful copies of original oils by Charles Bird King painted from life in his studio in Washington (McKenney commissioned him to record the visiting Indian delegates) or worked up by King from the watercolours of the young frontier artist, James Otto Lewis. All but four of the original paintings were destroyed in the disastrous Smithsonian fire of 1865 so their appearance in this work preserves what is probably the best likeness of many of the most prominent Indian leaders of the early 19th century. Numbered among King's sitters were Sequoyah, Red Jacket, Major Ridge, Cornplanter, and Osceola. Bennett p.79; Howes M129; Sabin 43411 #24690$27,500.00
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859), and James HALL (1793-1868) History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred Portraits from the Indian Gallery in the War Department at Washington Philadelphia: Caxton Press of Sherman & Co. for D. Rice & Co., 1872-1874. 2 volumes, royal 8vo (10 7/16 x 7 1/4 inches). "Billy Bowlegs" portrait as frontispiece to volume II of text. Contemporary half dark purple morocco over purple cloth boards, spines with raised bands in five compartments, lettered in the second and fourth. The scarce text volumes to the final edition of McKenney & Hall, including the "Billy-Bowlegs" plate unique to this edition. 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 Native Americans for profit, and his vocal warnings about their future prompted his appointment by President Monroe to the Office of Indian Affairs. As first director, McKenney was to improve the administration of Indian programs in various government offices. His first trip was during the summer of 1826 to the Lake Superior area for a treaty with the Chippewa, opening mineral rights on their land. In 1827, he journeyed west again for a treaty with the Chippewa, Menominee , and Winebago in the present state of Michigan. His journeys provided an unparalleled opportunity to become acquainted with Native American tribes. When President Jackson dismissed him from his government post in 1830, McKenney was able to turn more of his attention to his publishing project. Within a few years, he was joined by James Hall, a lawyer who had written extensively about the west. Both authors, not unlike George Catlin, whom they tried to enlist in their publishing enterprise, saw their book as a way of preserving an accurate visual record of a rapidly disappearing culture. McKenney provided the biographies, many based on personal interviews, and Hall wrote the general history of the North American Indian. Between 1872 and 1874 a new folio edition of McKenney and Hall appeared. Unlike the previous folio editions, the plates were here bound in a single folio volume, with the text issued separately in octavo format. Only 35 such sets were produced, each numbered on the limitation leaf within the text volumes. The most interesting aspect of this edition is the addition of a plate not found in any other edition of McKenney and Hall: the Billy Bowlegs plate as a frontispiece to vol.II. Howes M129; cf. McGrath p.84 & 206; cf. Miles & Reese America Pictured to the Life 53 (first octavo edition); Sabin: 43411 (1854-56 edition with 221 plates); cf. Servies 4028. #24691$5,000.00
	MCKENNEY, Thomas Loraine (1785-1859), and James HALL (1793-1868) Red Bird, A Winnebago. Philadelphia: J. T. Bowen. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. T. Bowen. Sheet size: 10 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. Fine condition. A rare image in very fine condition, issued only in this format Most of the McKenney and Hall images are available in both folio and octavo format. The present image was only published as the frontispiece to volume II of the octavo edition of McKenney and Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America. McKenney wrote: `All eyes were fixed on Red Bird ... of all the Indians I ever saw, he is, without exception, the most perfect in form, in face, and gesture. In height, he is about six feet; straight, but without restraint. His proportions are those of the most exact symmetry, and these embrace the entire man, from his head to his feet.' McKenney goes on to describe his costume and actions in great detail, all in terms of great admiration, but contrasting this with the fact that, according to the law, Red Bird was a murderer. He and two accomplices had murdered a man called Gagnier (a half-Indian half-French settler) and an ex-soldier staying with him. In fact he had acted in accordance with the Indian law, but had surrendered to the authorities to avoid retribution being visited on his people as a whole. Red Bird was taken with one of his accomplices (We-Kau, shown seated to Red Bird's right) to Prairie du Chien, handed over to the civil authority and put in prison, where he died `of crushed hopes, and a broken heart!' Red Bird died in 1838. #16939$500.00
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