Books

New York: George R. Lockwood, [1870-71]. Final Octavo Edition. 275 x 175 mm. (10 3/4 x 7"). Eight volumes.. Publisher's full dark brown morocco, boards with intricate blind-stamped frame and central arabesque, raised bands, blind-tooled compartments with small centerpiece, turn-ins with floral gilt roll, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. With numerous woodcuts (mostly of avian digestive systems) in the text and 500 HAND-COLORED LITHOGRAPHIC PLATES. Tyler, "Audubon's Great National Work" 129, 165 note 10; Nissen IVB 51; Sabin 2364; Reese, "Nineteenth Century Color Plate Books" 34; Wood p. 208; Zimmer, p. 25. ◆A couple of volumes with joints and extremities lightly rubbed, occasional faint foxing or trivial marginal stains, but A VERY FINE COPY, clean and fresh internally, with richly colored plates, in the little-worn original bindings. This is an exceptionally clean, fresh copy, inside and out, of one of the key books in any natural history library and one of the great…

"The Birds of America" is a monumental work by John James Audubon, published as a series between 1827 and 1838. It is one of the most famous and celebrated ornithological works in the world, known for its life-size, hand-colored, engraved plates of birds from the United States. Audubon's work stands out for its combination of artistic beauty and scientific accuracy. The collection features 435 plates, depicting more than 700 bird species, many of which were being documented for the first time. Audubon employed a unique method of mounting dead birds in natural positions on wires as a reference, which helped him create more dynamic illustrations. His attention to detail and commitment to depicting birds in their natural habitats made "The Birds of America" not only a major scientific achievement but also an artistic masterpiece. Audubon's work had a significant impact on ornithology and art in the 19th century, contributing to the burgeoning interest in bird study and conservation in America and Europe. The original editions of "The Birds of America" are among the most sought-after and valuable books in the world, prized by collectors and institutions for their historical and aesthetic value.