Long, John | "the most valuable record of Indian life and the fur trade of the period"

Long, John

Voyages and Travels of an Indian Interpreter and Trader, Describing the Manners and Customs of the North American Indians; with an Account of the Posts Situated on the River Saint Laurence, Lake Ontario, &c. to which is Added, a Vocabulary of the Chippeway Language. Names of Furs and Skins, in English and French. A List of Words in the Iroquois, Mohegan, Shawanee, and Esquimeaux Tongues. London: Printed for the Author, 1791

4to (285 x 215 mm), printed on paper with a faint bluish tint. Folding engraved map of the Great Lakes region of Canada, 4-page list of subscribers, errata leaf; some light offsetting on map, lower fore-edge corner of title-page replaced. Contemporary red straight-grain morocco by Christian Kalthoeber, with his color-printed label, covers with gilt-ruled borders of a wide fillet and gilt-dotted rule, spine gilt in six compartments, marbled endpapers, gilt edges, gilt dentelles, board edges with gilt-dotted rule, pink silk placeholder with gold tassels; extremities just rubbed, corners bumped.

First edition, a splendid copy in a binding probably made for Beckford.

John Long spent the years 1768–1787 as a fur trader and trapper for the Hudson's Bay Company. He traveled widely, was knowledgeable about the country, and was frequently in the company of Native Americans. His narrative and vocabulary form "the most valuable record of Indian life and the fur trade of the period" (Vail).

The London bookbinder Christian Kalthoeber was considered the greatest artisan of his time, designing and executing many of his most beautiful bindings for the extraordinary book collector William Beckford (1760-1844).

REFERENCE:

Ayer, Indian Linguistics Algonkin 28, Chippewa 128 and 150; Field 946; Graff 2527; Howes L443; Lande 1289; Sabin 41878; Streeter sale 7:3651; Vail, Old Frontier 878

PROVENANCE:

William Beckford (Hamilton Palace sale, Sotheby-Wilkinson-Hodge, 20 December 1882, lot 1871) — J. C. McCoy (morocco booklabel) — purchased at Seven Gables Bookshop in 1956 (original invoice laid in) by Jacques Levy (Sotheby's New York, 20 April 2012, lot 213)