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Native American Seneca War Chief "Red Jacket" Wea

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Other Start Price:2,400.00 USD Estimated At:3,500.00 - 4,500.00 USD
Native American Seneca War Chief  Red Jacket  Wea
<B>Native American Seneca War Chief "Red Jacket" Wearing His George Washington Peace Medal</B></I> Two items regarding Seneca war chief Red Jacket. One is a lithograph and the second a folio 13-page biography. McKinney & Hall lithograph 1837, <I>Red-Jacket/A Seneca War Chief,</B></I> published by E. C. Biddle, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Choice, extremely fine. Large 20" x 14.25" folio color lithograph of the famous Seneca Indian Chief Red Jacket, wearing his large silver oval 1792 George Washington Peace Medal. Large print, with minor soiling along the wide margins, disbound from McKinney & Hall's <I>History of the Indian Tribes of North America.</B></I> This litho was <I>"Printed & Coloured at I. T. Bowen's Lithographic Establishment/Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1837...."</B></I> Red Jacket was the important Seneca Indian Chief who received a 1792 Peace Medal from George Washington. His medal is one of the extremely rare large oval silver versions especially produced for the government, being hand-engraved in silver by silversmith Joseph Richardson of Philadelphia and having his personal silversmith's punch mark. This very medal is one of the few large Silver Indian Peace Medals with an uninterrupted pedigree. Although proud of his Peace Medal, Red Jacket pawned it off once while he was drunk. A benefactor recognized the medal and its importance, redeemed the medal and returned it to Red Jacket. The medal still exists today, and was used to illustrate both the Belden and Prucha works. Red Jacket is portrayed in a blue jacket with gold buttons, a white shirt, and a red scarf; the huge Peace Medal is held by a blue ribbon. This beautiful and extremely historic print would make an important addition to any collection of Indian Peace Medals and illustrates one of the most famous recipients. A well-known West Coast American auction house sold one of these prints for $3,450 in their December 11, 1999 auction, and another at $4,800 in December of 2001. The print is also accompanied by the original large folio, 13-page biography of Red Jacket, also from McKinney and Hall's <I>History of the Indian Tribes of North America...,</B></I> 20" x 14 1/2", which is very fine, with scattered foxing. A footnote mentions that Red Jacket normally dressed only in his tribal costume, but made an exception when he sat for the painting by C. B. King, from which this print is made. Lot:251