Books

New York: George R. Lockwood, 1870. 8 volumes, 8vo. (10 5/16 x 6 3/4 inches). Half-titles. 500 hand-coloured lithographic plates. Publisher's full dark brown morocco, boards ornately blind stamped. Spines with raised bands forming six compartments, lettered gilt in second and fourth departments, the rest tooled blind. Gilt dentelles. Marble endpapers. All edges gilt The rare final octavo edition of Audubon's Birds of America: an important American colour plate book and one of the most desirable books produced in 19th-century America. Ron Tyler, in Audubon's Great National Work, quotes a letter by the publisher's son, Richard B. Lockwood, noting that some time after 1870 the lithographed octavo plates were destroyed when they fell through the floors in a Philadelphia building. The date of the disaster at the Lockwood firm suggests that this final octavo edition was produced in 1871. The octavo edition of Audubon's The Birds of America is certainly the most famous and accessible of…

"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.