"O-Hya-Wa-Mince-Kee, "Chippewa Chief" McKenney & Hall Hand Painted Litho c.1843

Details

Description

Completely original and full page folio from the McKenney and Hall iconic three volume series "Indian Tribes of North America"; … Read more Completely original and full page folio from the McKenney and Hall iconic three volume series "Indian Tribes of North America"; which seeks to document and memorialize 120 Indians from different tribes across the early 19th century Western United States. This example depicts "O-HYA-WA-MINCE-KEE, A Chippewa Chief". The Chippewa tribe, also known as Ojibwe were indigenous people in the Northern United States and Southern Canada in close proximity to the Great Lakes region. The image is bright and crisp and well preserved having not been exposed to much light or the elements, consequently there is almost no foxing; there is no touch-up, no tears, no repairs or restoration of any kind to the hand painted lithograph, which is colored in muted brown tones to the flesh with black hair and a silver and black cloak. On the underneath appears original documentation inscribed; "Published by Daniel Rice & James G. Clark, Philada". Next line "Drawn, Printed, & Col'd at the Lithographic & Print Colouring Establishment, 94 Walnut St. Philada".Last line "Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1843, by James G. Clark in the clerks office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania". Examples of this particular folio can be found in both the Smithsonian museum and the Harvard Art Museum. It is mounted in a lovely 19th century solid wood gilt decorated original frame (see images).

Whether pursuing the accumulation of multiple McKenney and Hall lithographs or simply wanting a stand alone piece, this is simply a wonderful work of art to add to a collection of Americana or Native American Indians, in addition to having meaningful historical importance.

Dimensions:
32" high x 22 3/4" wide x 2 1/2" deep (overall with frame--frame has a 3 3/4" border)
24 1/2" high x 15 1/2" wide (exposure in the frame)
14" high x 10" wide (actual image exposed in matte)
19 1/2" high x 14" wide (approx size of actual folio)

Frame:
Nicely appointed 19th century, period appropriate antique gilt frame; with acanthus wreath and floral pedal foliage decorated border; and repeating geometric pattern to the inside perimeter; professionally mounted with archival consideration and backing; UV glass to the front with a matching vanilla matte.

Provenance: From my own personal collection of 19th century Native American Indian Western Americana and fine art.

Prior: W. Graham Arader III Gallery.
Images of complete folio are from my initial acquisition for authentication.

Note: Please see other McKenney & Hall hand painted lithographs I have for sale.

Background:
Thomas McKenney had been appointed superintendent of Indian Trade and had conceived the idea of traveling the western United States to document America's Native American Indian Tribes. Along with Catlin's "North American Indian Portfolio", these are the two most important works of 19th century North American Indian study. McKenney's work was based on his travel of the west in the late 1820's. Thomas Hall was the "academia" member of the team who joined later upon McKenney's return. Charles Bird King painted the Indian portraits, which hung in the Indian Gallery of the War Department. One by one the chiefs and other Indians were brought in to sit for portraits. Other portraits were loosely based on another "in the field" painter who had traveled with McKenney, named J.O. Lewis. The book with the folios and hand-painted lithographs was done in 1836. The significance of this is, that following the transfer of the paintings to the Smithsonian, all of the paintings were destroyed in a fire in 1865. So all we have to chronicle those images are these McKenney-Hall lithographs.

Three publishers were used to complete the three volumes between 1836--1844
1) Edward C. Biddle published the first part in 1836
2) Frederick W. Greenough published subsequent parts in 1838 and into the 1940's
3) Daniel Rice & James G. Clark continued the project and completed the three volumes between 1842 and 1844

Any complete versions of McKenney's folio work are very rare and exist in a few private collections, museums, the Smithsonian etc. There are very few complete versions and most of the lithographs have been removed for framing to display, as was this one. This is an authentic and original first edition dated 1843 from the "History of The Indian Tribes of North America" by McKenney and Hall.

Note: I am a second generation antiques dealer and have been in business, buying, selling, and collecting, for 50 years; I am also a member of several prestigious antique associations. Thus, I am well qualified to inspect and evaluate the products I offer for sale and I guarantee this to be authentic and as I have described. See less