Printed and Manuscript Americana

The Very Rare Seventh Eliot Indian Tract

(London: Printed by Peter Cole, 1653). Small 4to. (xxxii), 46 pp.; lacking three leaves, including title-page (A1), dedication (A2), and final text leaf (K4). Likely never bound, with stab-sewn gatherings retaining old thread, wear along edges of first leaf, light wear along edges of remaining leaves; creasing and wear in outer corners, affecting text on first and last text leaves; spotting and toning to leaves; in brown cloth slip case and chemise. From the library of Australian book collector Rollo Hammett, and with his book-plate on slip case. Church 527; Field 494; Sabin 22166; Vail 131

Church notes three variants of K4 as indicating three separate editions (albeit posited in the Siebert catalogue as "a conclusion [taken over by Wing] for which there is no present evidence" and for which "the sequence of variants given...is entirely arbitrary."). Leaf K4 is not present in this copy.

The rare seventh Eliot Indian Tract, one of a series of 11 pamphlets published in London between 1643 and 1671, and recounting the evangelizing efforts of New England's indigenous tribes by Puritan missionary John Eliot and others. Here, Eliot and Puritan settler Thomas Mayhew provide an account of their religious work on Martha's Vineyard (here referred to by its historical name "Martin's Vineyard"). The work opens with Mayhew's letter recounting his efforts to convert the native tribes, and follows with Eliot's detailed reports of confessions from 15 of the region's Native Americans.

Increasingly rare to auction, according to RBH this is the first copy to be offered since the Siebert sale in 1999, and only the second copy since 1945.