AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851).
The Quadrupeds of North America.
New York: V.G. Audubon, 1849-1854.
First octavo edition.

Comparable: Christie's, William Reese Sale, 2022 - $20,160.

IN ORIGINAL PARTS. 31 parts (10 1/2" x 7 1/4"). 155 fine handcolored lithographed and chromolithographed plates by W. E. Hitchcock and R. Trembly after J.J. and J. W. Audubon (pale waterstain affecting a few plates, occasional spotting and soiling of text and plates, some offsetting to text, a few minor tears to text and plates). Original buff printed paper wrappers, stabbed and sewn as issued (sewing largely undone, some backstrips perished or defective, some wrappers detached and frayed, some soiling and spotting); modern blue cloth slipcases and uniform chemises.

RARE IN ORIGINAL PARTS.

The first 30 parts of the edition contain 150 plates from the 1845-1848 folio edition of "The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America", with the final number reproducing five of six octavo plates from the 1854 supplement. Audubon's enthusiasm at the start of the project was unbridled. Around 1840 he wrote to his collaborator, the Rev. James Bachman, "I am growing old, but what of this? My spirits are as enthusiastical as ever, my legs full able to carry my body for ten years to come, and in about two of these I expect the illustrations out, and ere the following twelve months have elapsed, their histories studied, their descriptions carefully prepared and the book printed! Only think of the quadrupeds of America being presented to the World of Science by Audubon and Bachman" (Streshinsky, Audubon, p. 331). The artist managed to complete seventy-seven drawings before failing health kept him from his work. The remainder were completed by John Woodhouse Audubon. The dauntingly massive enterprise was a commercial success, owing chiefly to Victor's careful management. Before Audubon's death in 1851, his sons succeeded in soliciting some three hundred subscriptions for the folio edition. Bennett 5; Nissen ZBI 163.