![AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851). The Birds of America from original drawings... re-issued by J.W.Audubon. New York: Roe Lockwood & Son, [1858]-1860.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2011/CKS/2011_CKS_08002_0071_001(audubon_john_james_the_birds_of_america_from_original_drawings_re-issu014800).jpg?w=1)
![AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851). The Birds of America from original drawings... re-issued by J.W.Audubon. New York: Roe Lockwood & Son, [1858]-1860.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2011/CKS/2011_CKS_08002_0071_002(audubon_john_james_the_birds_of_america_from_original_drawings_re-issu012431).jpg?w=1)
![AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851). The Birds of America from original drawings... re-issued by J.W.Audubon. New York: Roe Lockwood & Son, [1858]-1860.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2011/CKS/2011_CKS_08002_0071_000(audubon_john_james_the_birds_of_america_from_original_drawings_re-issu093306).jpg?w=1)
Details
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851). The Birds of America from original drawings... re-issued by J.W.Audubon. New York: Roe Lockwood & Son, [1858]-1860.
Atlas volume only (lacks text), double elephant 2° (1005 x 663mm). Lithographic title, 150 chromolithographic plates, with some finished by hand, on 105 leaves, by Julius Bien after J.J. Audubon. (Occasional light scattered spotting, more heavy to plates numbered 14 'White headed Eagle' 172/159 and 82/239, plates 371 'Reddish Egret', 89/89, 278 'Carolina Parrot' and 280 'White Headed Pigeon' lightly browned, plate 375 'American Flamingo' evenly lightly browned with production flaw of some pink ink to sky and the lower margin with some surface soiling sometime cleaned with a white wash, plates 141 'Ferruginous Thrush', 150 'Praire Titlark' and 151 'Brown Titlark' unevenly browned at margins, faint vertical creasing to title, second and third plates numbered 289 'Virginian Partridge' and 386 'Dusky Duck' and plates at end numbered 82/239 and 397/398.) Contemporary brown half morocco, gilt spine, lettered in two compartments (extremities scuffed, short splits to head of joints), contained within a contemporary wooden hinged box, metal catches, sterling silver plaque engraved with author and title, signed 'Schroth', later lining.
SECOND FOLIO EDITION. The title is a variant with the words 'Vol.I' and 'Chromolithography by J.Bien, 180 Broadway' erased in the stone: the erasure was however not total as traces are still visible. John Wodehouse Audubon set out to reproduce his father's work at half the original price by producing full-size chromolithograpic copies of the original hand-coloured aquatint plates, and by printing the smaller plates two to a sheet. To carry out the project he enlisted the well-known cartographer and printmaker Julius Bien, who transferred the etchings onto stone, printing the colours and using additional hand-colouring only when strictly necessary. The work was to be issued in 45 parts, of which one would contain the text, for a total subscription price of $500. Only the first 15 parts and the seven text volumes in octavo were ever published. It is not known how many copies were published, but Fries succeded in locating 49. The failure of the venture and the death of her two sons obliged Audubon's widow Lucy to raise funds by putting up for sale her husband's original drawings and copper plates. The New York Historical Society purchased the drawings in 1863 for $4,000; the copper plates failed to sell and most were melted down. Waldemar H. Fries, The Double Elephant Folio: the Story of Audubon's Birds of America, Chicago, 1973 Appendix B, pp.335-359; Nissen IVB 50; Zimmer pp.24-25.
Atlas volume only (lacks text), double elephant 2° (1005 x 663mm). Lithographic title, 150 chromolithographic plates, with some finished by hand, on 105 leaves, by Julius Bien after J.J. Audubon. (Occasional light scattered spotting, more heavy to plates numbered 14 'White headed Eagle' 172/159 and 82/239, plates 371 'Reddish Egret', 89/89, 278 'Carolina Parrot' and 280 'White Headed Pigeon' lightly browned, plate 375 'American Flamingo' evenly lightly browned with production flaw of some pink ink to sky and the lower margin with some surface soiling sometime cleaned with a white wash, plates 141 'Ferruginous Thrush', 150 'Praire Titlark' and 151 'Brown Titlark' unevenly browned at margins, faint vertical creasing to title, second and third plates numbered 289 'Virginian Partridge' and 386 'Dusky Duck' and plates at end numbered 82/239 and 397/398.) Contemporary brown half morocco, gilt spine, lettered in two compartments (extremities scuffed, short splits to head of joints), contained within a contemporary wooden hinged box, metal catches, sterling silver plaque engraved with author and title, signed 'Schroth', later lining.
SECOND FOLIO EDITION. The title is a variant with the words 'Vol.I' and 'Chromolithography by J.Bien, 180 Broadway' erased in the stone: the erasure was however not total as traces are still visible. John Wodehouse Audubon set out to reproduce his father's work at half the original price by producing full-size chromolithograpic copies of the original hand-coloured aquatint plates, and by printing the smaller plates two to a sheet. To carry out the project he enlisted the well-known cartographer and printmaker Julius Bien, who transferred the etchings onto stone, printing the colours and using additional hand-colouring only when strictly necessary. The work was to be issued in 45 parts, of which one would contain the text, for a total subscription price of $500. Only the first 15 parts and the seven text volumes in octavo were ever published. It is not known how many copies were published, but Fries succeded in locating 49. The failure of the venture and the death of her two sons obliged Audubon's widow Lucy to raise funds by putting up for sale her husband's original drawings and copper plates. The New York Historical Society purchased the drawings in 1863 for $4,000; the copper plates failed to sell and most were melted down. Waldemar H. Fries, The Double Elephant Folio: the Story of Audubon's Birds of America, Chicago, 1973 Appendix B, pp.335-359; Nissen IVB 50; Zimmer pp.24-25.
Brought to you by
Eugenio Donadoni
Check the condition report or get in touch for additional information about this
If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.