We specialize in original and fine reproduction Audubon prints, offering a good selection from all editions. Our stock of the Octavo or small Audubon prints is one of the largest in the country. In addition, we offer some prints by other early American bird artists such as Mark Catesby, Alexander Wilson, and John Cassin. Our selection of books (on request) by or about Audubon is the most complete available.
We are currently moving to a new location and are not open to the public on a daily basis. Audubon Prints and Books is advertised throughout the United States, including: Audubon Magazine, Natural History Magazine, The Magazine Antiques, American Birds, The Smithsonian, The Print World, Bird Watcher's Digest, Birder's World, and numerous antique newspapers.
We are currently moving to a new location and are not open to the public on a daily basis. Audubon Prints and Books is advertised throughout the United States, including: Audubon Magazine, Natural History Magazine, The Magazine Antiques, American Birds, The Smithsonian, The Print World, Bird Watcher's Digest, Birder's World, and numerous antique newspapers.
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Join a very select group - become an Audubon collector.
There will never be another John James Audubon.
America will not receive any more paintings or prints from this great naturalist and artist highlighting the discovery of our nation's birds and animals.
Today, of the approximately 180 complete copies of the Double Elephant Folio published in London by Audubon, about 120 sets survive and of these about 107 are in public institutions such as the Library of Congress and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
There will never be another John James Audubon.
America will not receive any more paintings or prints from this great naturalist and artist highlighting the discovery of our nation's birds and animals.
Today, of the approximately 180 complete copies of the Double Elephant Folio published in London by Audubon, about 120 sets survive and of these about 107 are in public institutions such as the Library of Congress and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
Biography of John James Audubon
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John Audubon gave several different accounts of his birth, but the discovery of records in France in the early 1900's established that he was the son of a French naval captain and a French servant girl who worked for Captain Audubon at his sugar plantation in Santo Domingo, Haiti.
Audubon's real mother died within a short time after his birth, so Audubon's father took him back to France as a young child where Captain Audubon and his legal wife adopted him.
To avoid conscription by Napoleon, Captain Audubon sent his son to America to manage property he had purchased near Philadelphia.
Audubon's real mother died within a short time after his birth, so Audubon's father took him back to France as a young child where Captain Audubon and his legal wife adopted him.
To avoid conscription by Napoleon, Captain Audubon sent his son to America to manage property he had purchased near Philadelphia.
The Birds of America, Havell Edition
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Audubon's reputation as a great artist and naturalist was recognized throughout the world when he published from London, between 1827 and 1838, his famous "double elephant" folio prints.
These prints were engraved and hand-colored chiefly by Robert Havell in 87 numbers of five plates each.
W. H. Lizars of Edinburgh engraved the first ten plates in 1828, but Havell re-engraved some of these.
Havell then etched, aquatinted, engraved and handcolored the rest with a dated J. Whatman watermark on each sheet.
These prints were engraved and hand-colored chiefly by Robert Havell in 87 numbers of five plates each.
W. H. Lizars of Edinburgh engraved the first ten plates in 1828, but Havell re-engraved some of these.
Havell then etched, aquatinted, engraved and handcolored the rest with a dated J. Whatman watermark on each sheet.
The Birds of America, Royal Octavo Edition
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Following the success of his large folio, Audubon offered his birds in a miniature or Royal Octavo Edition which was lithographed and hand-colored in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during 1840-44 by J.T. Bowen.
These prints are originals, and Audubon issued the prints in a series by species.
They were issued in 100 parts of 5, and eventually the customer subscriber bound them into 7 volumes of books.
Audubon based these prints on his folio drawings but often varied them due to the smaller images.
Each plate contains a single species and he also added some new species which had been discovered out West and had not reached him in time to be included in the folio work.
These prints are originals, and Audubon issued the prints in a series by species.
They were issued in 100 parts of 5, and eventually the customer subscriber bound them into 7 volumes of books.
Audubon based these prints on his folio drawings but often varied them due to the smaller images.
Each plate contains a single species and he also added some new species which had been discovered out West and had not reached him in time to be included in the folio work.
The Birds of America, Abbeville, Ariel, and Princeton Editions
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The only complete printing of Audubon's original 435 plates have been the Amsterdam Edition in 1972 and the Abbeville Press Edition issued by the National Audubon Society in 1985.
Both Ariel and Princeton are reprints of selected plates.
Princeton has limited each reprint to 1,500 copies.
Ariel originally was limited to 250 copies of 40 plates, but numerous reprints have occurred since it was first issued in 1972.
The Abbeville prints are limited to 350 sets and have an embossed watermark along the print edge.
Both Ariel and Princeton are reprints of selected plates.
Princeton has limited each reprint to 1,500 copies.
Ariel originally was limited to 250 copies of 40 plates, but numerous reprints have occurred since it was first issued in 1972.
The Abbeville prints are limited to 350 sets and have an embossed watermark along the print edge.
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