An important and major encyclopedia of the Native American Indians, their culture, language and life-styles is the culmination of years of in-the-field research by numbers scholars beginning as early as 1873. These volumes attemp to give ... ``brief description of every linquistic stock, confederacy, tribe, sub-tribe or tribal division, as well as settlements known to history, tradition, origin and the derivation of every name.`

Its scope incudes manners, archeology, customs, arts and industries with brief biographies of Indians of note.

Of great importance, also, for the Tribal Synonymy (pp. 1021 - 1178) and for the excellent bibliography; with a large fold-out map of Linguistic Families. These two books are solid and complete, with the original green cloth covers; the spines have been professionally rebacked, retaining most of the original green spine cloth, with the gilt lettering and designs. Published 100 years ago, complete matching 2-volume sets often sell for between $100 and $250. Such a nice complete set is not likely to come up for sale again soon on ebay.

From the 1st Volume: "Letter of Transmittal. Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology, , Washington, DC, July 1, 1905. Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith the manuscript of Bulletin 30 of the Bureau of American Ethnology, entitled "Handbook of American Indians," which has been in preparation for a number of years and has been completed for publication under the editorship of Mr. FW Hodge. Then Handbook contains a descriptive list of the stocks, confederacies, tribes, tribal divisions, and settlements north of Mexico, accompanied with the various names by which these have been known, together biographies of Indians of note, sketches of their history, archeology, manners, arts, customs, and institutions, and the aboriginal words incorporated into the English language. Respectfully, WH Holmes, Chief. The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC."

From the Preface of 1st Volume: "During the early exploration and settlement of North America, a multitude of Indian tribes were encountered,m having diverse customs and languages. Lack of knowledge of the aborigines and of their languages led to many curious errors on the part of the early explorers and settlers: names were applied to the Indians that had no relation whatever to their aboriginal names; sometimes nicknames were bestowed, owing perhaps to personal characteristics, fancied or real; sometimes tribes came to be known by names given by other tribes, which were often opprobrious; frequently the designation by which a tribal group was known to itself was employed, and as such names are oftentimes unpronounceable by alien tongues and unrepresentable by civilized alphabets, the result was a sorry corruption, varying according as the sounds were impressed on Spanish, English, French, Dutch, German, Russian, or Swedish ears. Sometimes, again, bands of a single tribe were given distinctive tribal names, while clans and gentes were often regarded as independent autonomous groups to which separate tribal designations likewise were applied. Consequently, in the literature relating to the American Indians, which is practically coextensive with the literature of the first three centuries of the New World, thousands of such names are recorded, the significance and application of which are to be understood only after much study..."

Text example from 2nd vol.: "NA. For all names beginning with this abbreviation and followed by sa., sra., or Senora, see Nuestra Senora. Naagarnep. See Nagonub. Naagetl. A Yurok village on lower Klamath r., just below Ayootl and above the mouth of Blue cr., N.W. Cal. Naagetl.--AL Kroeber, inf'n, 1905. Nai-a-gutl.--Gibbs (1851) in Schoolcraft, Ind. Tribes, III, 138, 1853...

CONDITION AND SIZE:

Volume I: Large, very thick, very heavy - sized hardcover book; ix+972 pages of text, illustrations & numerous b/w photos & large & colored fold-out map. Very Good condition: no writing or markings in text; small tear on one page page; tear & light wrinkling on large fold-out map; no other torn pages; no missing pages; original endpapers; no ownership markings. Original publisher's hardcover binding, spine recently rebacked, retaining original cloth; with fraying to edges & corners, and light wear and scuffing.

Volume II: Large, very thick, very heavy - sized hardcover book; iv+1221pages of text & numerous b/w photos. Very Good condition: no writing or markings in text; small tear on end preface page; no other torn pages; no missing pages; cracked hinges; no ownership markings. Original publisher's hardcover binding, spine recently rebacked, retaining original cloth; with fraying to edges & corners, and light wear.

Autobiography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Webb_Hodge

Smithsonian Instituion Bureau of Ethnology: http://www.gbl.indiana.edu/archives/dockett_317/317_2a.html