Overview
This is a beautifully illustrated, large-format historical volume detailing the material culture, social structures, and daily lives of the North American Plains tribes during the pre-reservation era.
Identification
The Plains Indians by Colin F. Taylor, Crescent Books First Edition, 1994
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Story
Written by Dr. Colin F. Taylor, a respected British ethnologist known for his extensive research on Native American culture. The book was published in 1994 by Crescent Books, a promotional and bargain imprint of Crown Publishing Group known for producing affordable, large-format illustrated volumes. The text remains valued by enthusiasts for its rich visual documentation of pre-reservation era artifacts. The secondary market for 1990s large-format illustrated history books is highly saturated.
Maker / Origin
Unattributed
Condition & Value
The seller description notes the book's content but does not detail the physical condition of this specific copy. In the secondhand book market, the presence of a crisp, unclipped dust jacket and clean, unmarked pages are the primary condition drivers.
Full Research
See what it's actually worth.
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Market Analysis
The secondary market for 1990s large-format illustrated history books is highly saturated. Buyers typically look for reading copies or reference materials on platforms like eBay, ThriftBooks, and Amazon. Demand is steady but prices remain low due to the high volume of surviving copies. Pristine copies can command a slight premium, but overall, this is a buyer's market.
Value Drivers
▲ Authored by a respected ethnologist, adding reference value for history enthusiasts.
▲ Large-format illustrated editions retain steady, albeit modest, demand as visual reference books.
▲ eBid comp at $20 establishes the ceiling for copies in excellent condition.
Concerns
▼ Unverified physical condition — missing or torn dust jackets typically reduce value significantly.
▼ High availability of this title on volume reseller sites caps the realistic resale ceiling.
▼ Potential for ex-library markings, which would relegate the book to the $5 reading-copy tier.
Best Venue
List this book on a broad marketplace like eBay or Amazon as a fixed-price listing. Price it around $12-$15 if the dust jacket is intact and the pages are clean, or consider bundling it with other Native American history books to offset shipping costs and increase buyer appeal. Ensure clear photos of the front cover, spine, and title page are included in the listing.
Upside Potential
If the book is in pristine, unread condition with a flawless dust jacket, it could reliably sell at the $20 high-end of the range to a buyer seeking a perfect reference copy. There is no realistic upside beyond this price point due to the sheer volume of copies currently in circulation.
▾Also found — market-range context
Related comps outside the valuation band· 1 comp
Surfaced during research but not used to anchor the valuation — wrong form, species, era, or no published price. Shown so the market range around this item is visible.
Also found — market-range context
Related comps outside the valuation band· 1 comp
- eBayTHE PLAINS INDIANS Colin F. Taylor Cultural/Historical Pre-Reservation 1994 1stSale on record but hammer price not published.No price