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AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Wood Ibis [Pl. 361]

[Pl. 361]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 8 3/8 x 4 7/8 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17501$900.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Black-Crowned Night Heron or Qua Bird [Pl. 363]

[Pl. 363]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 6 x 8 3/4 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17502$975.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Great White Heron [Pl. 368]

[Pl. 368]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 3/4 x 8 3/8 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17505$2,400.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Reddish Egret [Pl. 371]

[Pl. 371]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 7/8 x 8 1/2 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17508$1,800.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Louisiana Heron [373]

[373]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 7/8 x 7 3/4 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17510$2,000.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Trumpeter Swan (Adult) [Pl. 382]

[Pl. 382]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 1/4 x 8 1/4 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17513$1,750.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Trumpeter Swan (Young) [Pl. 383]

[Pl. 383]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 4 7/8 x 7 5/8 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17514$800.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

American Swan [Pl. 384]

[Pl. 384]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 1/4 x 7 7/8 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17515$1,750.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Shoveller Duck [Pl. 394]

[Pl. 394]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 3/8 x 7 3/4 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17518$795.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Canvass Back Duck [Pl. 395]

[Pl. 395]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17519$1,600.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Red-breasted Merganser [Pl. 412]

[Pl. 412]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 1/2 x 8 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17523$750.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

American Anhinga Snake Bird [Pl. 420]

[Pl. 420]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 8 3/4 x 4 5/8 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17524$750.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Wild Turkey, Male [Pl. 287]

[Pl. 287]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 8 1/2 x 5 3/8 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17527$2,400.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Wild Turkey Female and Young [Pl. 288]

[Pl. 288]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 5 1/8 x 7 7/8 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17528$1,600.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Whooping Crane. Young [Pl. 314]

[Pl. 314]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph, after J.J. Audubon by J.T. Bowen. Very good condition . Image size (including text): 7 7/8 x 5 5/8 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#17530$1,050.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Pinnated Grouse [Greater Prairie-Chicken] [Pl. 186]

[Pl. 186]. London: R. Havell, 1834. Hand-coloured engraving with aquatint and etching by R. Havell. Watermarked "J. Whatman/1834". Sheet size: 25 3/8 x 38 1/2 inches.

From the first edition of "The Birds of America."

One of Audubon's greatest images: against a background of western prairie land, a small incident of the greatest importance to its participants takes place in the immediate foreground. Two cock Pinnated Grous (or Great Prairie Chickens) fight for the attention of a lone female. Audubon captures the moment when, after long preliminaries of booming cries, bluster and circling, one of the males, driven beyond endurance, launches a physical attack on his rival. The female looks on with fascination. A carefully balanced composition -- the bulk of the left hand bird is offset by the fragile beauty of the martagon lily on the right.

"It has been my good fortune to study the habits of this species of Grouse, at a period when, in the district in which I resided, few other birds of any kind were more abundant. I allude to the lower parts of the States of Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri...As soon as the snows have melted away...the Grouse, which had congregated during the winter in great flocks, separate into parties of from twenty to fifty or more...Inspired by love, the male birds, before the glimpse of day lightens the horizon, fly swiftly and singly...to meet, to challenge, and to fight the various rivals led by the same impulse to the arena...Imagine them assembled...see them all strutting in the presence of each other, mark their consequential gestures, their looks of disdain, and their angry pride, as they pass each other. Their tails are spread out and inclined forwards, to meet the expanded feathers of their neck, which...lie supported by the globular orange-coloured receptacles of air, from which their singular booming sounds proceed...the fire of their eyes evinces the pugnacious workings of their mind, their notes fill the air around, and at the very first answer from some coy female, the heated blood of the feathered warriors swell every vein, and presently the battle rages...The weaker begin to give way, and one after another seek refuge in the neighbouring bushes...The vanquished and the victors then search for the females, who, believing each to have returned from the field in triumph, receive them with joy" (J. J. Audubon, The Birds of America, New York & Philadelphia: 1840-1844, vol. V, pp.95-96).

At the time Audubon was writing, the Greater Prairie Chicken had already all but vanished from the eastern states. It was "still abundant on the main western prairies, but this too was to change, mainly because the bird could not adapt to modern agricultural practices. When the native prairie vegetation was eliminated they soon disappeared. Today the remaining populations, much restricted, are carefully managed. An organization in Wisconsin...is dedicated to purchasing, preserving, and managing remaining prairie chicken habitat" (R. T. & V. M. Peterson, Audubon's Birds of America, London: 1981, no.124).

Susanne M. Low, A Guide to Audubon's Birds of America, New Haven & New York: 2002, p.117.

#17791$36,000.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James

[AUTOGRAPH LETTER, SIGNED, FROM JOHN JAMES AUDUBON TO HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW, WILLIAM BAKEWELL, DISCUSSING PUBLICATION OF THE FIRST AMERICAN EDITION OF HIS Ornithological Biography].

Edinburgh. Feb. 20, 1831. [1] leaf. Folio, 16½ x 10¼ inches; matted, 28½ x 21¾ inches. Old crease marks, two light stains in margin, not affecting text. In very good condition.

A Superb Audubon Letter to His Brother-in-law

An autograph letter, signed, from the great American ornithologist and illustrator, John James Audubon, to his brother-in-law, William Bakewell. Writing from Edinburgh where he had settled in 1830 to focus on the accompanying text to THE BIRDS OF AMERICA (London, 1827-38), Audubon provides Bakewell, who is residing in Louisville, with updates regarding the first American publication of his companion text.

According to Low, "Had Audubon included the text with [the British publication of] THE BIRDS OF AMERICA folio, he would have been required under the British Copyright Act of 1709 to deposit a copy in each of nine libraries in the United Kingdom. This would have been an intolerable expense. Therefore, he arranged to have the text published separately in five volumes under the title ORNITHOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY." This work was published in Edinburgh between 1831 and 1839.

In order to secure the separately issued American copyright, Audubon also needed to arrange publication of the text in America. "I find myself in a manner forced to publish a small edition of 500 copies of my first volume of ORNITHOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY in the U.S. to secure the copyright thereof. Philadelphia is the place I have pitched on for this undertaking and I employ there Donald McMurtry as the corrector of the proof sheets and [natural historian] Doctor Richard Harlan as my banker or money agent,
further payment of the sum which I will have to distribute on account of said publication."

Audubon provides his brother-in-law with additional financial and copyright details regarding this American edition. He notes the importance of securing the American copyright, quoting the proofreader, McMurtry, who informed him that unless "I have a responsible friend [with access to funds] in the U.S. he could not undertake the publication, and should this publication fail to take place through me and under my name, I must lose the copyright of my book in the United S[tates] where any bookseller might
publish it and reap the benefit...from it." Audubon was successful in finding a publisher in Philadelphia, and the first volume did appear in 1831.

A marvellous Audubon autograph letter, signed, providing uncommon insight into the American publication of his ORNITHOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY.

Susanne M. Low, A Guide to Audubon's Birds of America (New Haven & New York, 2002), p.5

#18218$11,000.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Lapland Lark Bunting [Pl. 152]

[Pl. 152]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. T. Bowen, after J.J. Audubon. Very good condition. Image size (including text): 5 7/8 x 7 7/8 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#18647$450.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Black-throated Bunting [Pl. 156]

[Pl. 156]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. T. Bowen, after J.J. Audubon. Very good condition apart from mild toning at margins. Image size (including text): 9 x 5 5/8 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#18649$450.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Townsend's Bunting [Pl. 157]

[Pl. 157]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. T. Bowen, after J.J. Audubon. Very good condition apart from mild toning at margins. Image size (including text): 9 x 5 5/8 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#18650$400.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Lark Bunting [Pl. 158]

[Pl. 158]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. T. Bowen, after J.J. Audubon. Very good condition apart from mild toning at margins. Image size (including text): 9 x 5 5/8 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#18651$450.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Clay-coloured Bunting [Pl. 161]

[Pl. 161]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. T. Bowen, after J.J. Audubon. Very good condition apart from mild toning at margins. Image size (including text): 9 x 5 5/8 inches. Sheet size: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#18652$450.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Red-necked Grebe [Pl. 480]

[Pl. 480]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. T. Bowen, after J.J. Audubon. Very good condition. Image size (including text): 4 1/2 x 6 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 3/8 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven later editions were subsequently issued.

John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Haiti on 26 April 1785. He lived in France from 1788 to 1803, after which time he was sent to the United States to manage an estate that his father bought in Pennsylvania. In 1805, he briefly moved back to France; however, his fascination with the United States had taken root, and he returned there in May 1806. He married Lucy Bakewell in 1808, and together they embarked on a difficult period financially that was only to be resolved, through Audubon's unshakable and justified belief in his own abilities, with the publication of his masterpiece 'Birds in America'

Cf. Bennett p.5; cf. Nissen IVB 51; cf. Ripley 13; cf. Ron Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work (1993) Appendix I; cf. Sabin 2364; cf. Zimmer p.22

#18733$450.00
 
 
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

Eared Grebe [Pl. 482]

[Pl. 482]. New York & Philadelphia: J.J.Audubon and J.B.Chevalier, [1839-] 1840-1844. Hand-coloured lithograph by J. T. Bowen, after J.J. Audubon. Very good condition. Image size (including text): 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. Sheet size: 6 1/2 x 10 3/8 inches.

A fine print from the first octavo edition of "The Birds of America": one of the "most beautiful, popular, and important natural history [works] published in America..." (Ron Tyler)

Shortly after the publication of the hugely successful Havell edition of 'The Birds of America', Audubon issued the first royal octavo edition of this great work, the plates from which now represent the only realistic opportunity for collectors to own Audubon images in a form that was overseen and approved by the great artist himself. Its publication may have been inspired by the overwhelming public demand for his prints and his wish that a work similar to the original be published 'at such a price, as would enable every student or lover of nature to place it in his Library'. With its smaller plates, each of which depicts a single species, the octavo edition was certainly more accessible than the double-elephant Havell folio.

The octavo edition was a multifaceted undertaking that gave Audubon an invaluable opportunity to substantially improve and enhance the original. Above all, the octavo version allowed him to scientifically arrange his subjects by genus and species and to include several newly discovered species of Western birds. Originally issued in 100 parts, each containing five plates executed by the Philadelphia lithographer J.T. Bowen, it was sold solely by subscription and proved so successful that seven lat