“Their Destiny As A Race Is Sealed.
They Will Soon Be Lost To Our Sight Forever”

In 1822, Thomas McKenney, Superintendent of Indian Affairs under four presidents, commissioned artist Charles Bird King to paint the portraits of famous Indian leaders as they visited Washington.
Over the course of 15 years dignitaries from more than a score of tribes sat for King. As the number of portraits grew, McKenney determined to publish the paintings in book form, to make this rich archive available to the American people and to future generations.

The expensive undertaking almost ruined him and his publishers, but it is fortunate that he persevered: in 1865 fire ravaged the Smithsonian, destroying many of King’s original oil paintings.

We are pleased to offer a very handsome set of this landmark American work, three large octavo volumes in the publisher’s deluxe morocco bindings, complete with 120 splendid lithographs, each finely colored by hand. Browse our current inventory.