$290,500
New York: J. J. Audubon, 1845-1848. 3 vols. Elephant folios, contemporary 3/4 black morocco over cloth, gilt-lettered spines. The present, rare, three-volume edition, with all of its title pages, is in very good condition, unrestored, with brilliant coloring. First edition of "the largest successful color plate book project of 19th-century America," (Reese) complete, with 150 hand-colored lithographed plates by J.J. Audubon and J.W. Audubon, backgrounds by Victor Audubon, lithography by J.T. Bowen, three lithographed title pages, and leaves of contents. Early issue, bound in three volumes. The later editions were bound in two volumes, with inferior coloring, and without the title-page for volume three. following the success of, and funded with the profits by, Audubon's was meant to match the magnificence of Audubon's magnum ornithological opus; it stands apart as having been entirely produced in the United States, with over 300 original subscribers. As his last great achievement, firmly established Audubon as one of history's greatest natural history artists. John James Audubon was able to complete seventy-seven drawings before his failing health kept him from work. The remaining drawings were executed by his sons, John Woodhouse and Victor. John Bachman, Audubon's collaborator and the father-in-law of John Wodehouse and Victor, insisted that all of the profits go to the Audubon family. The work originally appeared in thirty numbers with five plates each, with each numbe Read more…
Auctioneer:
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
Date:
2014-08-06
