On june 14, one of the worlds most expensive books, john james audubon s doubleelephant folio of the birds of america, will go to auction in new york city. Chose a few that are appealing and look up four or five f. You may want to start by browsing field guides at a library or bookstore to get a sense of which one works the best for you. Dec 15, 2017 john james audubon dreamed of creating lifesized portraits of every species of bird in north america. The birds of america by john james audubon 1946 5th print ebay.
Excellent art conservation services are provided for all types of two dimension artwork, include works on paper, canvas, and fine photography. Original audubon bien edition prints, birds of america. Dec 12, 2009 1986 arc identifier 55178 local identifier 306aam22. Audubon prints birds of america joel oppenheimer, inc. A rare copy of audubons birds of america heads to auction. Find audubon near you visit your local audubon center, join a chapter, or help save birds with your state program. We are an art gallery with over 50 years of experience focusing on the artwork of john james audubon, john gould, pierrejoseph redoute and other natural history artists. Born in haiti in 1785, he spent much of his life travelling north america observing, catching and drawing birds and animals in remarkable detail.
Do not confuse this book with other books reproducing audubon s birds of america with the same or similar title. A brief history of audubons birds of america john james audubon 17851851 set out to paint every known to him north american bird in the earlynineteenth century. John james audubon april 26, 1785 january 27, 1851, born jeanjacques audubon, was an american ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. Often cited as the most expensive book of all time, there are still 120 known intact copies of john james audubon s the birds of america which was published between 1827 and 1838. If you follow them, you will not only have a great deal of coloring pleasure, but you will also learn how to identify many important birds. Selected birds of america by audubon, john james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. National audubon society field guide to north american birds.
I shall publish the letterpress in a separate book, at the same time with the illustrations, and shall accompany the descriptions of the birds with many anecdotes and accounts of localities connected with the. In addition to the prints, each bird s page also includes a recording of the animals call, plus extensive written texts from the period of the books printing. Birds of america by audubon, garden city books 1936. Birds of america by john james audubon, first edition abebooks. Worlds most expensive book, birds of america, set to fetch. If bound together, the pages would create a book that. The 19th century masterpiece, replete with count em 435 handcolored illustrations, has long been considered a crucial document about u. Darlington in the midnineteenth century and later donated, as part of his extensive library, to the university of pittsburgh. Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news.
The twist is that its written largely in lucys voice, through imagined diary entries, letters, and poems deeply informed by historical research. The book has audubon s typical heavy duty vinyl cover, which flexes nicely in. It was first published as a series in sections between 1827 and 1838, in edinburgh and london. The audubon nature institute, a family of museums, parks and other organizations in new orleans, eight of which bear the audubon name. The book has audubon s typical heavy duty vinyl cover, which flexes nicely in the hand, yet is durable enough for years of use.
Printed between 1827 and 1838, it contains 435 lifesize watercolors of north american birds havell edition, all reproduced from handengraved plates, and is considered to be the archetype of wildlife illustration. John james audubon s most popular book is birds of america. Apr 14, 2005 it was said that about 100 copies of each page with bird images were produced, but most of them did not survive. The birds of america by john james audubon and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Mar, 2001 the book was published in several editions between 1997 and 2000. The audubon society baby elephant folio roger tory peterson, virginia marie peterson, john james audubon on. The publishers of which i am aware include welcome rain, laurel glen, and wordsworth. John james audubon has 175 books on goodreads with 1946 ratings. Apr 01, 2009 the best bird identification book is often a matter of choice, so different people will give you different answers. Birds of america by john james audubon, hardcover barnes. Birds of america was printed between 1827 and 1838, and was filled prints created from handengraved plates based on audubon s original watercolor paintings. First published in double elephant size approximately a metre tall in the first half of the nineteenth century, it is famous for.
While audubon was creating birds of america, he was also working on a companion publication, namely, his ornithological biography. Audubon, pennsylvania, also has the audubon bird sanctuary. Audubon prints, audubon birds, nature prints, bird prints, botanical illustration, illustration art, vintage bird illustration, birds of america, john james audubon love the sweet autumn clematis and the distressed birdhouse. Audubon the birds of america hardcover published by crown hardcover, 124 pages authors. The birds of america is a book by naturalist and painter john james audubon, containing illustrations of a wide variety of birds of the united states. Audubon prints birds of america havell edition prints. Birds of america by audubon, first edition, macmillan abebooks passion for books. John james audubons birds of america is a portal into the natural world. The bird names accompanying the present reproductions are those adopted in the checklist of the american ornithologists union. Oct 22, 2019 birds of america was printed between 1827 and 1838, and was filled prints created from handengraved plates based on audubons original watercolor paintings.
All 435 illustrations from john j audubons birds of america. Mar 24, 2020 the book gets its title from a birds of america plate of a swamp sparrow that is signed by the engraver in lucys name. Jun 12, 2018 culture a rare copy of audubons birds of america heads to auction to benefit conservation. The birds of america by john james audubon alibris. Audubon birds, audubon prints, washington, birds of america, john james audubon, bird drawings, bird species, birds of prey, wildlife art what others are saying barn swallow, audubon birds, birds of america, john james audubon, library of congress, animal. The book has audubons typical heavy duty vinyl cover, which flexes nicely in the hand, yet is durable enough for years of use. Collecting the birds of america by audubon, john james. As early as november of 1826, shortly after lizars had begun the engraving of the birds of america, audubon had written in his journal. The portraits, when bound, became some of the biggest books ever madeand to read them, his. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Most of the streets in this small town are named after birds that he drew.
Birds of america by audubon, first edition, macmillan abebooks. Was it audubons complicated joke, equating his tall and spirited wife with a bird he described as timid and destitute of song. He wandered the woods and rivers of the wild frontiers of north america shooting, studying, posing, and painting every species of bird he could find, and many years later, the resulting books were to change the worlds of ornithology and naturalhistory art forever. Among the most significant american books of the 19th century, audubons the birds of america is extraordinary in several ways. Birds of america by audubon, john james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The birds of america absorbed audubon s attention for much of his life and its publication took nearly 12 years to complete. Birds of america by audubon, first edition, macmillan. In addition to the prints, each bird s page also includes a recording of the animals call, plus extensive written texts from the period of the book s printing. Worlds most expensive book, birds of america, set to. John james audubon was a naturalist and painter and is considered one of the greatest bird artists of all time. Make plans to visit the main library and see one of the worlds most priceless books for. With audubon, i can go to the perching birds, and look for the yellow grouping until i find my bird. The original watercolors for the birds of america olson, roberta, the newyork historical society, shelley, marjorie on. This is the best book available for anyone who wishes to see accurate reproductions of audubons greatest work, the double elephant folio edition of birds of america.
This is the best book available for anyone who wishes to see accurate reproductions of audubon s greatest work, the double elephant folio edition of birds of america. Audubon s original plates, numbered to correspond to the pages of the book, have been reproduced in color on the covers. The birds of america absorbed audubons attention for much of his life and its publication took nearly 12 years to complete. All 435 illustrations from john j audubons birds of. The bien edition prints are more scarce to find than the havell edition prints. The birds of america, from drawings made in the united states and their territories by audubon, john james 17851851 and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Birds of america by audubon, garden city books 1936 ebay. Original audubon havell edition produced 18261837 prints for sale. John james audubon, unknown introduction edition language. The birds of america is one of the best known natural history books ever produced and also the most valuable a complete set sold at auction in december 2010 for gbp7. Birds of america by audubon abebooks passion for books. See more ideas about audubon birds, john james audubon and birds of america. John james audubon birds of america engagement book calendar 1984 by audubon, john james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Jan 09, 2012 as part of my research for the lost bird project, i was graciously given access to the audubon double folio housed in the rare books library at cornell university. An early subscribers copy of john james audubon s double elephant folio incomparably the most important and most beautiful colorplate book ever published. For an excellent introduction to the bien edition, please see the book a guide to audubons birds of america by susanne m. Audubon prints birds of america original octavos 1st. John james audubon dreamed of creating lifesized portraits of every species of bird in north america. This book is not a coffee table book, it isnt for scholars, it isnt so big it wont fit into a bookcase, it sits nicely in the palm of your hand, actually covering just the palm of your hand, and it is beautiful. In addition to the stunning colors and detail in audubon s work, it is noteworthy also because of its ambitious scope.
Mar 26, 2015 timeless illustrations from birds of america by ornithologist, artist, and naturalist john james audubon. Birds of america giant artists colouring books english and german edition by pepin van roojen jun 15, 2016. Written by naturalist john james audubon, the birds of america is one of the most prized and collected books of all time. He was notable for his extensive studies documenting all types of american birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats.
With white pelicans, sandhill cranes, great blue herons. Audubon needed every inch of space he could gethe planned to print fullcolor, lifesize representations of every bird in north america. John james audubon s birds of america is a portal into the natural world. As part of my research for the lost bird project, i was graciously given access to the audubon double folio housed in the rare books library at cornell university. Watch a behindthescenes look at one of the public library of cincinnati and hamilton countys rarest books, the famed birds of america by naturalist john james audubon. The birds of america by john james audubon 1977 wild turkey manowar bird crane. Culture a rare copy of audubon s birds of america heads to auction to benefit conservation. Dowd, author of a new book, audubons sparrow, tells the audubons story in the time leading up to the publication of birds of america. Dec 04, 2019 john james audubons ivorybilled woodpecker from his birds of america book. The actual title is the national audubon society baby elephant folio audubons birds of america.
John james audubon 17851851 worked on the monumental birds of america from 18271838, illustrating and editing one of the largest and most expensive bird books in the world. I checked out this book from my library, hoping it had the full collection of birds from audubon s birds of america, but alas the copy by library had only featured 30 color prints from the original book, with a catalog of the remaining 470 prints printed in blackandwhite thumbnails in the back of the book. Produced in collaboration with the uniquely talented printerartist, robert havell, audubons massive work is as the subtitle of this book says the most famous bird book in the world. Audubons birds of america coloring book by john james. The enormous 4 volume double elephant folio carefully and accurately documents more than 430 species of american birds in lifesize prints, making it an important work of natural history and scientific observation. John james audubon s the birds of america was immediately recognized as an extraordinary achievement and perhaps the greatest contribution ever made of art in the service of science. Each week we turn one page of the book and display a new bird. National audubon society field guide to north american. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Books by john james audubon author of birds of america.
It doesnt say tiny anywhere, only in amazons description. Iii and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. He eventually stopped at 435 paintings after he exhausted his personal resources. The auction was a rare chance to own one of the best preserved editions of the 19th century masterpiece, with its 435 handcoloured illustrations, seen as a key volume on us natural history. Excellent art conservation services are provided for all types of two dimension artwork, include. In the 19th century it was the usual practice for bird illustrators to work exclusively from preserved specimens, but audubon found this less than ideal. A copy of the worlds most expensive book, john james audubon s 19thcentury masterpiece birds of america, is set for auction later this month and is. Whats the best book or field guide for bird identification.
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