CHRISTOPHER CARDOZO FINE ART

 

THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN
THE COMPLETE REFERENCE EDITION

An affordable re-creation of Edward Curtis’ original masterpiece, the Complete Reference Edition
is finished with a hardcover and printed on archival, acid-free Finch Opaque paper.

$6,500 – Limited Availability

 

Christopher Cardozo Fine Art is pleased to announce the re-creation of Edward Curtis’ magnum opus, The North American Indian. The North American Indian is an iconic, landmark publication; a rich and detailed artistic and ethnographic record of over eighty North American tribal groups from throughout the American West. It contains over 2,200 photographs and over 5,000 pages of text as well as extensive transcriptions of Native languages and music. Much of the information in The North American Indian is found nowhere else, including personal histories and detailed information about Native religion, spirituality, and Native Lifeways.

Curtis’ original twenty Volumes and twenty Portfolios have been re-created with exacting care for this new publication which is believed to be the largest and most ambitious republication project in North American publishing history. Original Sets of The North American Indian are found at Harvard, Yale, The Met, and over 100 other public and private rare book collections. The Complete Reference Edition offers a finely-crafted alternative to the original Curtis Sets for far less than 1% of the cost and offers greatly enhanced accessibility, readability, and unwavering fidelity to the original. This is a wonderful opportunity to own a finely crafted piece of American history.

THE REPUBLICATION PROJECT

We started working on an artisanal recreation of The North American Indian in 2012, a project that would become the largest republication project in North American publishing history, requiring over 10,000 hours of research, typesetting, layout, prototyping, proofing, and over 40,000 hours of enlisted specialists across eight diverse fields. The recreation includes all twenty original volumes, over 5,000 pages, and extensive transcripts of Native language and music. The twenty portfolios that accompanied the original set are recreated in four oversized portfolio volumes. Each set comprises all 2,234 photographs contained in the original.

RECREATING THE PHOTOGRAVURES

Over 2,234 images accompany the rich and detailed text, representing the most widely celebrated component of The North American Indian. Christopher Cardozo Fine Art has printed Curtis images for over two decades, giving us a unique ability to print the images for this republication project. We have recreated the prints, combining the best aspects of Curtis’ photogravures with Cardozo’s award-winning platinum printmaking techniques. After extensive research and refinement, we succeeded in creating prints that are richer, more nuanced, and more accessible. Our skilled team of master printers enhanced processes that enabled us to create exceptionally beautiful reproductions. The republication of The North American Indian is unlike any project we have previously undertaken. Working with each of the 2,234 images has provided us with unique insights into Curtis’ artistic vision, and an even deeper understanding and appreciation of his work.

RECREATING THE TEXT

The original text for The North American Indian was hand-cast in metal type and letterpress printed. It is beautiful and romantic. Unfortunately, the text is often difficult to read because of the small type size, inking issues, and type degradation. Requiring an additional investment of over 10,000 hours, we chose to digitize, refine, and improve all twenty Volumes, and the two and a half million words and special characters they contain. Digitizing the text retains the essential character of the original, yet it’s easier to read. Combined with contemporary printing methods, we produced the sharpest, most legible letterforms possible. Digitization of the text has also allowed us to make subtle and nuanced changes that improve the overall layout and text flow.

 

$6,500 – Limited Availability

  • Limited Edition
  • Price: $6,500 + Shipping – Contact Us If Outside Contiguous U.S. For A Shipping Quote
  • Complete, Full Size, Recreations Of All Twenty Original Text And Portfolio Volumes
  • Twenty Text Volumes (12.25 × 9.5 × 1.75”)
  • Twenty Portfolios Presented In 4 Volumes (13.75 × 10.75 × 1.75”)
  • 2,234 Photographic Prints
  • 5,023 Pages
  • Over 2.5 Million Words
PURCHASE

TO LEARN  MORE ABOUT CURTIS VISIT US AT: EDWARDCURTIS.COM