Arcana:

(LANG, CHARLES B.). Starr, Frederick. Chicago, IL: Printed for the Author by the Lakeside Press, 1899. First Edition 1/560. Oblong Small Folio. Gilt-Debossed Cloth in Jacket. Photography Monograph. Very Good -/No Jacket. xxxii + cxli (350pp), 141 monochrome gravure illustrations. "Indians of Southern Mexico: An Ethnographic Album" is Frederick Starr's beautifully illustrated ethnographic survey of the indigenous peoples of the southern states of Mexico at the close of the nineteenth century. It was printed for the author in 1899 utilizing letterpress and gravure in an edition of five hundred and sixty copies only at Chicago's fabled Lakeside Press. Reproducing photographers Charles B. Lang and Bedros Tartarian's albumen images from the author's 1896 and 1898 expeditions amongst the Aztec, Chontal, Cuicatec and Chinantec, Juave, Mixe, Mixtec, Otomi, Tarascan, Tehuantepecano, Tlaxcalan, Triqui, and Zapotec tribes along with a descriptive text, to this day it remains a standard work in the field. A handsome copy of this elegant tome NUMBERED (440/560) AND SIGNED "Frederick Starr" in black ink on the front colophon, as issued, showing only minor wear to the extremities and tips of its still bright, navy blue gilt-debossed cloth along with a few insignificant surface abrasions to the front and rear boards. With one hundred and forty-one photographic plates and weighing nearly eleven pounds, this title's binding and hinges are notoriously fragile. The massive textblock exhibits some typical play and slight pulling to the signatures, however it remains remarkably sturdy given its age and weight. The rear hinge is well preserved but for two small starts, with the front hinge revealing some separating along its length that has been securely repaired using archival adhesive without the need for reinforcement. The endpapers and edges show light wear and soiling, while the plates are bright and crisp with the occasional minor blemish to the margins. This particular example from the edition of five hundred impressions on "heavy plate paper" was exhibited in the 1993 Museum show "Mexico Through Foreign Eyes: 1850-1990" curated by Carole Naggar and Fred Ritchin, and is reproduced in its comprehensive catalogue published by W.W. Norton. All in all, it is a spectacular age-appropriate copy of this exceptionally striking and important Mexican ethnography. PLEASE NOTE: Additional shipping costs are required for this item beyond our standard rates due to its weight and value - we will inform you of the applicable amount at time of purchase. Inventory Number: 019354