The North American Indian Blank Books, One Volume Used as a Guest Book for Curtis Studios Los Angeles. [CURTIS, EDWARD S. 1868-1952]. Spine titles: 'North American Indian Clippings' [Vols. I & II], and 'North American Indian Letters' [Vol. I only]. 3 octavo volumes (of a presumed 4), bound in original [publisher's?] brown half morocco gilt, stamp-signed by H. Blackwell (some light rubbing and wear). Provenance: Edward S. Curtis; by descent to his daughter, Beth Curtis Magnuson, and her husband Manfred 'Mag' Magnuson; acquired from the preceding by Dr. Billy Utley. WITH ONE VOLUME USED AS A GUEST BOOK FOR CURTIS STUDIO LOS ANGELES, 1921-1923. The volume includes a note on the endpaper: 'Curtis Studio, L.A. / 668 South Rampart / Los Angeles. / They spent 2 and one half years at the Rampart Studio.' With 56 pages of names of visitors to the studio, from April 7, 1921 through the Adams Rib Exhibition, held February 1, 1923. In most cases, the attendees signed the book themselves with address and telephone number; occasionally, some leaves are written in a uniform (presumably secretarial) hand. Guests included American composer Charles Wakefield Cadman, silent film star Snitz Edwards, silent film actress Hedwiga Reicher, American author Gene Stratton-Porter, American author Marah Ellis Ryan, Shakespearean actor Frederick Warde, sculptor David Edstrom, Los Angeles Superior Court judge Carlos S. Hardy, urban planner Carol Aronovici, choreographer Marion Morgan, lighting engineer Norman Macbeth, composer Charles Wakefield Cadman, and operatic soprano Margaret Romaine. When Curtis's marriage ended and he lost funding for The North American Indian, he relocated to Los Angeles from Seattle, and opened his first commercial studio in LA with his daughter Beth. It was there that he began to take work as a still photographer and assistant camera operator for Hollywood studios in the hopes of continuing to fund his major ethnographic work, and it was at this location where Curtis processed the prints of his still photographs documenting the filming of Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1923). The location also served as a meeting location for the Indian Welfare League, through which Edward Curtis fostered a friendship with Marah Ellis Ryan, with whom he would publish an advocacy pamphlet, First Americans (1922). Included in an entry for June 30, 1921 is the signature of Manford 'Mag' Magnuson, who would eventually marry Edward Curtis's daughter Beth -- Beth and Mag met that June evening in 1921. The blank volumes were apparently produced for owners of The North American Indian who also owned the Stickley Brothers custom cabinet for the work. That cabinet featured a large central compartment to house the folio-sized portfolios. That compartment was flanked by 3 shelves on each side, each designed to hold 4 octavo volumes, for a total of 24 octavo volumes. When complete, though, The North American Indian only included 20 octavo volumes. Presumably these volumes were intended to fill the extra shelf in the Stickley custom cabinet. Lot to be sold without reserve. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ¤ ¤ Unless indicated by the ¤ symbol next to the lot number (or bearing an explicit statement such as 'No Reserve' or 'Without Reserve'), which denotes no reserve, all lots in the catalog are subject to a reserve. The reserve is the minimum hammer price that the seller is willing to accept for a lot. This amount is confidential and does not exceed the low estimate value. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing