Beschreibung:

Audubon, John James The Birds of America, from Drawings Made in the United States and their Territories. New York: J. J. Audubon, Philadelphia: J. B. Chevalier, 1840-1844 7 vols., 8vo (260 x 162 mm). 500 handcolored lithographed plates after Audubon by W. E. Hitchcock, R. Trembly, and others, printed and colored by J. T. Bowen, with tissue guards, numerous wood-engraved text illustrations, half-titles and lists of subscribers in each volume; contents generally good, with scattered foxing and offsetting to tissue guards and text leaves, minorly affecting only a few plates, plates 187 and 188 reversed. Contemporary dark purple-brown morocco, tooled and lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers; spines a trifle faded, final volume uniformly bound in a slightly lighter leather, lightly scuffed and rubbed. First octavo edition, an original subscriber's copy After completing the double-elephant folio edition at great expense in England, Audubon returned to the United States and used the Philadelphia firm of Bowen to produce a more profitable octavo version under the supervision of his sons. It enjoyed a tremendous success and established his reputation. The octavo edition adds 65 new images to the original plate count of the double-elephant folio. PROVENANCEMary Lenox Sheafe (original subscriber, listed on page 254 as Mrs. James Sheafe, her pencil signature in each volume) — Robert Lenox Belknap (Armorial Bookplates) REFERENCEAyer/Zimmer 22; Nissen 51; Reese, American Color Plate Books 34; Sabin 2364; cf. Tyler, Audubon's Great National Work