American Historical Ephemera & Photography

A collection of 55 ethnographic stereoviews from a series Indians of the Colorado River from the J.W. Powell Surveys for the US Topographical and Geological Survey of the Colorado Valley. All images by John "Jack" Hillers, with the exception of #39-40, & 75 by Elias Ocott Beaman. Various publishers: Washington DC: J.F. Jarvis (#2-5, 11, 13, 18-21, 23, 28, 34, 39-41, 46, 53, 57, 60, 70-72, 75, 77, 82, 85); New York: William B. Holmes (43, 58); New York: H. Robes & Co. (69); others without publisher statement. Each mounted on yellow cardstock mount with "U.S. Topographic and Geological Survey of the Colorado River of the West by J.W. Powell and A.H. Thompson" printed on the recto in red, except for #14, 32, 90, 104, & 105 on blank yellow mounts, and #9 & 17 on yellow mounts from a different series ("Views among the Rocky Mountains of Colorado."). Three (#7, 14, 80) without printed labels to versos. Six with verso labels marked "Department of the Interior, U.S. Geographical and Geological Survey of the Rocky Mountain Region, J.W. Powell, Geologist in charge," (#9, 17, 32, 90, 104, 105), corresponding largely to those with alternate mounts. Many with exceptional tonality, occasional fading, wear to mounts. Provenance: Iroquois Indian Variety Store, Niagra Falls, NY: 27, 48, 54, 73.

John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) and his assistant Almon Harris Thompson (1839-1906) conducted several geographic surveys down the Green and Colorado rivers in Wyoming, and Utah from 1871 through 1874. Though the project was geologic in scope, the researchers had frequent interactions with the local Native Americans captured in these images. Most were taken by John Karl Hillers who was originally hired as a boathand for Powell's second expedition in 1871. He began to assist survey photographers E.O. Beaman (#39-40, 75) and later James Fennemore. By the next season in 1872, Hillers had become the expedition's chief photographer. He continued to explore the West working for the Bureau of Ethnology, the Geological Survey, and the USGS, assembling nearly 23,000 negatives until his retirement in 1900. 

Kai-vav-its, a tribe of the Pai Utes living on the Kaibab Plateau near the Grand Canon of the Colorado in Northern Arizona: 2 Group of Men in Full Dress. -- 3 Chu-ar-ru-um-peak and his Friends. -- 4 Chu-ar-ru-um-peak Shooting a Rabbit. -- 5 U-wa, Wife of Chu-ar-ru-um-peak, Chief of the Kai-vav-its. -- 6 U-wa on a Rock. -- [7 Woman Grinding]. (Lacking printed label, period inscription "indian lodge grinding meal"). -- 8 Ku-ra-tu. (Period inscription "John S. Davis.") -- 9 The Empty Cradle. -- 11 Ta-vo-kok-i, or The Circle Dance. (Summer Costume). -- 13 The Basket Maker. -- [14 Group of Women in Full Dress]. (Lacking printed label, title from period ink inscription to verso; additional inscription "A.S. Hooker No. 545"). -- 17 Ka-ni-ga, The Camp Ground. -- 18 Pile of Little Indians. -- 19 Game of Wolf and Deer. -- 20 "One-little Two-little Three-little Injuns." -- 21 The Water Carriers. -- 23 The Mother. -- 25 Mounted Indians. -- 27 Won-si-vu, or Young Antelope. -- 28 Won-si-vu and Ku-ra-tu. -- 30 Ku-ra-tu at Rest. -- 32 The Necklace. -- 34 The Game of Ni-aung-pi-kai. -- 39 In Council. -- 40 "At Home."

U-ai Nu-ints, a tribe of Indians living on the Rio Virgen, a tributary of the Colorado in Southern Utah: 41 Moak Shin-au-av, Chief of the U-ai Nu-ints. -- 43 Nu-nu-shi-unt, The Dreamer. -- 46 Mo-kwi-uk and his Daughter. -- 48 Mon-su and Su-vu-it.

Mo-a-pa-ri-ats, a tribe of Indians inhabiting the Valley of the Mo-a-pa, a tributary of the Rio Virgen in Southern Nevada: 53 Wu-nav-ai Gathering Seeds -- 54 Tau-um-pu-gaip, Sub-Chief of the Mo-a-pa-ri-ats. -- 57 "Five and Three are Eight." -- 58 Met on the Road. -- 60 Cutting Fringe.

Nu-a-gun-tits, a tribe of Indians living at the Ve-gas or Meadows in Southwestern Nevada: 69 E-nu-ints-i-gaip, or One of the Ancients. -- 70 Two "Old Boys." -- 71 The Old Gamblers -- 72 Ka-ni -- 73 Ka-ni sleeping (Printed label from Kai-vav-its, title in contemporary ink inscription).

U-in-ta Utes, a tribe of Indians living in U-in-ta Valley on the Western Slope of the Wasatch Mountains, in Utah: 75 Indian Lodge. -- 77 Breaking Up Camp.

Shi-ni-mos: [80 Terraced Houses in Oraibi]. (Modern pencil inscription with title to verso). -- 82 The Chiefs House, in the Town of Oraibi. -- 85 House of Tal-ti, Chief of the Council, in the town of Oraibi.

U-in-tats, Living in the U-in-ta Valley, on the Western Slope of the Wasatch Mountains, in Utah:  90 Home of Ta-vah-puts. -- 92 Nau-no-kwits and Ku-ri-en. -- 93 Tau-ruv (wife of Won-ro-an) in Full Dress. -- 94 Tau-ruv sitting. -- 100 Indian Boy and his Dog. -- 104 The Maiden. -- 105 Indian Girl on Horseback. -- 106 Babe in Cradle. -- 111 The Watch-Tower. -- 115 Met at the Spring. -- 116 The present of a Necklace.