Poems
John Ridge[Cheesquatalawny, Yellow Bird]
San Francisco, 1868
 
First edition, first printing. Original publisher’s cloth. Spine and cover edges faded, small area of rear cover rippled, corners bumped, text block edges dusty, author’s portrait leaf slightly browned and foxed otherwise pages quite clean with sporadic contemporary pencil marks on favored verses. Contemporary gift inscription on front endpaper. Overall, a nice Near Fine copy with bright gilt. A rare survival in this condition.
 
Ridge was a member of the Cherokee Nation, a newspaper editor, and wrote the first novel by a Native American. Dying suddenly in 1867, this work was posthumously published with poems collected by his widow, Elizabeth. 
 
An additional point of interest - this book was printed by Edward Bosqui and published by Henry Payot, two of the most important figures in the late 19th century San Francisco arts and books scenes.
 
An excellent piece of history.