EDWARD S. CURTIS. Iron Plume - Ogalala, 1907. 7.3x5.3" image on 9x6.3" copper plate. Plate date 1908. From Volume 3, The Sioux, of The North American Indian. Plate recto engraved: Iron Plume - Ogalala / From Copyright Photograph 1907 by E.S. Curtis.

Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868-1952) created a legacy that was a monumental visual tour de force, an ethnographic, heroic and theatrical record of the American Indian and their recollected and imagined way of life before the white man. His mastery of the grandest pictorial style and technique in his copper plate photogravures, orotones and silver and platinum prints, was rivaled only by that in the most elegant prints of Edward Steichen and Alfred Stieglitz. During this time, he was the most famous photographer in the country, just as Ansel Adams later in the 20th Century.

Between 1898 and 1928 working in collaboration with many tribal members Curtis created an ethno-historical account combined with photographic notions of character portraiture, environmental portraiture, and classical romanticism as well as straight documentary views. He published 20 octavo volumes with around 75 prints per volume each accompanied by a larger portfolio of usually 36 hand pulled photogravures. The North America Indian (1906-1928) is considered the most lavish and elegantly illustrated set of photographic books ever produced. This lot has an original vintage copper plate made for this publication under Curtis's supervision.

Very Good. Minor wear, tarnish, ink residue spots scratches and abrasions.