Lot #163: Birds of America by John James Audubon, Vol. I & II, First Edition

Birds of America by John James Audubon, Vol. I & II, 1966. Stated First Edition. Books are in excellent condition.

Both Measure: 14 inches long by 11 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches thick

The original watercolor paintings by John James Audubon for The Birds of America in two volumes. New York: American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1966. First edition hardcovers with slipcase (a little worn) and satin ribbon pull. Unpaginated. Two beautiful coffee table books of the watercolors by John James Audubon done for his publication "The Birds of America." The collection is reproduced in color by The New York Historical Society. Included are 431 color plates and an introduction by American historian Marshall B. Davidson. Some of the birds represented are the bald eagle, white-crowned Pigeon, Parula Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Worm-Eating Warbler, Sea-side Finch, Pigeon Hawk, Cardinal, Eastern Blue Bird and many more.John James Audubon (17851851) was an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He was notable for his extensive studies documenting all types of American birds and for his detailed 435 illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats. His major work, a color-plate book entitled The Birds of America (18271839), is considered one of the finest ornithological works ever completed. Audubon identified 25 new species including Washington's Eagle.