“FROM OUR OTHER FRIEND OF THE INDIANS”: SCARCE PRESENTATION/ ASSOCIATION FIRST EDITION OF MCLAUGHLIN’S MY FRIEND THE INDIAN, INSCRIBED IN THE YEAR OF PUBLICATION BY “BUFFALO BILL” CODY TO FAMED WESTERN PHOTOGRAPHER AND FILMMAKER JOSEPH K. DIXON

(CODY, William F. “Buffalo Bill”) McLAUGHLIN, James. My Friend the Indian. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1910. Octavo, original russet pictorial cloth. Housed in a custom clamshell box.

First edition of McLaughlin’s memoirs of his life as an Indian agent, and colleague of “Buffalo Bill” Cody and well-known Western photographer Dixon, a memorable presentation/association copy inscribed by “Buffalo Bill” to Dixon in the year of publication, “To Dr. Joseph K. Dixon, a present of this most truthful Book from [‘of’ lined over] our other friend of the Indians W. F. Cody ‘Buffalo Bill’ Apr 13th 1910.”

This exceptional presentation/association first edition of Indian agent McLaughlin’s autobiography is inscribed by William F. Cody, best known as “Buffalo Bill,” to noted turn-of-the-century photographer Joseph K. Dixon. Buffalo Bill was a Pony Express rider, cavalry scout, buffalo hunter and “showman who helped perpetuate the mythic image of the West. His internationally popular Wild West shows entertained millions” (ANB). In 1909 Dixon, the recipient of Buffalo’s Bill’s inscription, welcomed him to the Philadelphia department store of Rodman Wanamaker, who financed and promoted a series of expeditions to the American West led by Dixon. Both men believed “the traditional Indian was destined to disappear” and with their team of photographers made numerous portraits of tribal peoples (Fleming & Luskey, 215-17). In 1909 Dixon had just returned from the second expedition “when Wanamaker organized a testimonial dinner at Sherry’s in New York City for ‘Buffalo Bill,’ who was playing the Hippodrome with his Wild West Show.” In 1913, the year Dixon’s own work, The Vanishing Race, was published, a third filming expedition was formed, in which “McLaughlin, author of My Friend the Indian, played a critical supporting role, and Thomas Alva Edison provided the sound. ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody and artist Frederic Remington made cameo appearances” (Barsh, American Heart of Darkness, 92-4). Author McLaughlin, who spoke Sioux and was a highly regarded Indian agent at Devils Lake and Standing Rock, “is most widely known for his conflict with Sitting Bull, which resulted in the death of the Indian leader when he and some followers resisted being arrested per McLaughlin’s orders… As inspector for the Bureau of Indian Affairs he negotiated numerous treaties between the U.S. government and Indian tribes” (Lamar, 672). With frontispiece of McLaughlin and 15 full-page black-and-white photogravures, including portraits of Sitting Bull, Chief Joseph, and other other Indian leaders. Howes M147. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s inscription to photographer Dixon refers, in part, to McLaughlin’s dedication, which begins: “To My Friend the Indian.”

Interior generally fresh with slight marginal dampstaining to upper gutter corners minimally affecting text and several plates, light edge-wear, faint rubbing to pictorial boards. An extremely good copy with a very memorable association.