James Cummins Bookseller

Catholic Prayers & Hymns in the Tinneh Language ... [Bound with:] Tinneh Indian Catechism of Christian Doctrine.

(Alaska).

Kosoreffski, Alaska: Indian Boys' Press, Holy Cross Mission, 1897.

Price: $1,250.00

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About the item

First editions. [2], 39; [2], 22 pp. Lacking p. 7-10 in 'Catechism'. 8vo. Original floral colored cloth over stiff paper wrappers. Minor rubbing and wear to wrappers and edges; lacking p. 7-10 in 'Catechism', some fading to ink, legible throughout; very good; in custom folding slipcase and chemise. Streeter Sale 2569; Wickersham 1046.

Item #372440

Rare catechisms in the Tinneh Indian language, crudely printed and bound by three Indian boys at the mission, who give their names Nicholia, Ivan and Aleck at the end of the prefatory notes. Streeter notes that "These two books are the only ones listed in the imprints catalogue at the New York Public Library as printed at Holy Cross, on the west side of the Yukon near the mouth of the Kosoreffski (also Koserefski, Koserefsky) river, and are the earliest listed under any of the towns on the Seward Peninsula. A letter from Frederick R. Goff 12 June 1951 says the order of printing of the two is not known." The two works were likely printed at the same time and bound together for easy use.