Catlin's Notes of Eight Years' Travels and Residence in Europe, with his North American Indian Collection. With anecdotes and incidents of the travels and adventures of three different parties of American Indians whom he introduced to the courts of England, France, and Belgium.

First British edition, presentation copy, inscribed on the front free endpaper, "To Mr. Davidson, with compliments of the Author, Geo. Catlin, 1848." This work recounts Catlin's tour of Europe, for which he shipped eight tonnes of freight, including two grizzly bears, and was accompanied by several Native Americans. A lawyer turned portraitist, Catlin (1796-1872) left Pennsylvania in 1830 to paint Native Americans and record their way of life. His eight years among the major tribes of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains resulted in his "Indian Gallery," an enormous collection of artefacts as well as more than four hundred paintings, including portraits and scenes of tribal life. "The history and the customs of such a people," Catlin declared, "preserved by pictorial illustrations, are themes worthy of the lifetime of one man, and nothing short of the loss of my life shall prevent me from becoming their historian" (quoted in Hassrick). Though criticised on publication for the indelicacy of certain passages, Notes remains "a readable and revealing book in the classic satirical vein of the visitor from a foreign culture" (Dippie, p. 467). The work was also issued in New York in the same year. Hassrick, 15 (note); Sabin 11533. George Catlin, Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians, 1841; Brian W. Dippie, Catlin and his Contemporaries, 1990. 2 vols, octavo. With 24 wood-engraved plates. "Note to the Reader" tipped in at rear and "Author's Note" tipped in at pp. 302-3 in vol. 2. Original green cloth, rebacked with original spines laid down, front covers stamped in gilt and blind, spines gilt-lettered direct, yellow surface-paper endpapers. Bookseller's ticket to front pastedowns, pasted newspaper clipping to front pastedown and ink-stamped number to rear pastedown of vol. I. Extremities and covers rubbed, corners bumped, rear pastedown of vol. I lightly stained, contents toned, occasional minor marginal foxing, slightly heavier to blank verso of free endpapers of both volumes and to couple of initials and final leaves in vol. 1: a very good copy.…