George Catlin, 1867

CATLIN, George (1796-1872). O-Kee-Pa: A Religious Ceremony; and Other Customs of the Mandans. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1867.

First American edition, with the rare "Folium Reservatum." The Mandans were decimated (for the second time) by smallpox in 1837, shortly after Catlin's visit, leaving a population of barely 100 people. However, they survived into the 20th century and about 1000 Mandans are enrolled today in the Three Affiliated Tribes. In the preface of this book is a letter from Prince Maximilian who described the dance but did not see it first-hand. Both Catlin and Prince Maximilian were taken with the notion of a Welsh-Mandan ethnic connection. This first American edition was published from the London sheets, but with a Philadelphia title-page.

The buffalo dance is sexually explicit and details of its practice were deemed too shocking for general white readership. The Folium Reservatum provides the missing details for the use of "scientific men." It is theorized that this leaflet was printed in a run of approximately 25 copies in Philadelphia, in 1867 (cf. Siebert sale) but all records located by us are for a three-page document. The present Folium Reservatum is also two leaves, but printed rectos only and is possibly a proof copy. Bennett p. 22; Best of the West 170; Howes C-244; Sabin 11543.

Quarto (252 x 170mm). Half-title (half-title re-inserted and repaired, a little fingersoiling and slight wear to fore-edge). 13 chromolithographed plates after Catlin by Simonau & Toovey. Folium Reservatum laid in (two separate leaves, folded, faint adhesion residue to edges). Original blue cloth, front cover gilt-paneled and -lettered, edges gilt, by Edmonds & Remnants, with their ticket (rebacked). Provenance: Museum of the American Indian (bookplate, with deaccession note signed by director George Heye dated 1921) – Norman Bobins (his sale, Christie's New York, 16 June 2023, lot 27).