Select Items Holiday 2022 - 6 - “One Of The Finest Ornithological Works Ever Printed”: Audubon’s Birds Of America, Royal Octavo Edition With 500 Hand-Colored Plates 2. AUDUBON, John James. The Birds of America. New York, 1856-57. Seven volumes. Royal octavo, publisher’s full blind-stamped brown morocco. $58,500. Second octavo edition of this ornithology and illustration landmark, the first edition with fully colored backgrounds, containing 500 superb hand-colored plates. One of the most spectacular series of ornithological prints ever produced and a landmark attempt to document the birds of North America. This edition is identical to the first octavo edition, printed in 1840-44, except that the prints have tinted lithographic-wash backgrounds. The royal octavo edition, which Audubon referred to as the “petit edition,” contained new species of birds and plants not included in the folio edition, with the birds grouped in an orderly scientific manner. “The Birds of America exemplifies man’s ability to accomplish an almost impossible task through sacrifice and persistence. Audubon set out to paint and publish an example of every bird on the North American continent…He was the first artist-naturalist to illustrate American birds, life-size, in natural poses; the backgrounds, or habitats, are more natural looking than those of his predecessors” (Handbook of Audubon Prints, 17-18). “The most splendid book ever produced in relation to America, and certainly one of the finest ornithological works ever printed” (Great Books and Book Collectors, 21013). Without half titles in last two volumes. Nissen IVB 52. Sabin 2364. Bookplates, early gift inscriptions. Some foxing to text, as often, plates bright and lovely, with only occasional instances of very faint foxing, a few volumes with expert repairs to text blocks and inner hinges. A beautiful set.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDg3OTM=