Antiques

Item Description

Queen Lili‘uokalani, born as Lydia Lili‘u Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamaka‘eha, was the last reigning monarch of the kingdom of Hawai‘i. She ascended the throne in January of 1891, upon the death of her brother, King David Kalākaua. The Queen’s desire to restore traditional powers to the sovereign threatened the power of the group of prominent businessmen known as the Missionary Party. With the support of armed U.S. Marines, this group overthrew the Queen in January 1893. For years after her overthrow, the Queen sought redress in the Congress and courts of the United States, but her efforts failed. In July 1898, Hawai‘i was annexed as a territory to the United States of America.

As part of her efforts to stave off annexation, the Queen published Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani in early 1898. She worked closely with the American journalist Julius Palmer on the manuscript, and the book reflects her experiences and perspectives. This classic work is the only autobiography written by a Hawaiian monarch, and provides a glimpse of life in Honolulu during her lifetime.

The Queen describes her childhood, and shares her thoughts on Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, Kamehameha V, the reign of Kalākaua, and her marriage to John O. Dominis in 1862. A key work on Hawaiian history, it is especially valuable for the Queen’s account of the increasingly ominous state of Hawaiian politics surrounding the overthrow of the monarchy, including her 1895 arrest, abdication, and trial on charges of having knowledge of treasonous activities against the newly formed government, the Republic of Hawaii.

Lathrop, Lee and Shepard, Co. Hardcover. Condition: Good. First Edition. Shelf and handling wear to cover and binding, with general signs of previous use. Cover is marked, but the gilt is still visible and the pages are in very good condition.

Item Special Note

Proceeds benefit Kona Historical Society, a 501c3 nonprofit. We try our best to ship items as economically as possible. Most are shipped flat rate but larger or unusually shaped items may need to be shipped priority. Winning bidder is responsible for shipping and Hawai`i State tax (4.166%). We try our best to ship items as economically as possible. Winning bidder is also responsible for postal insurance if the item’s value is over $500. As with all auctions, item is sold “as is” with no refunds available.