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Ornithological Biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America; accompanied by descriptions of the objects represented in the work entitled The Birds of America, and interspersed with delineations of American scenery and manners by AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851) - 1839

by AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

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Ornithological Biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America; accompanied by descriptions of the objects represented in the work entitled The Birds of America, and interspersed with delineations of American scenery and manners by AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851) - 1839

Ornithological Biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America; accompanied by descriptions of the objects represented in the work entitled The Birds of America, and interspersed with delineations of American scenery and manners

by AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

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Edinburgh & London: Printed by Neill & Co. (Edinburgh) for Adam & Charles Black (Edinburgh) and R. Havell Jun., and Longman, Rees, Brown and Green (London), and various others, 1839. 5 volumes, octavo. (10 5/8 x 6 1/2 inches). Half-titles, 5pp. list of subscribers at the end of vol.V, numerous woodcut text illustrations. Original publisher's light red cloth, expertly rebacked to style, with original printed paper title labels to vols. I, II, IV and V laid onto spines, vol.III with facsimile label, some expert repairs to other labels, uncut, each volume contained within a modern morocco-backed cloth box Provenance: Robert Havell (presentation inscription) First edition, a remarkable association copy, inscribed by Audubon to his engraver and friend, Robert Havell, Junior. This presentation copy is a fitting monument to one of the great partnerships in the history of ornithological art. It is difficult to overemphasise the importance of the Havells, junior and senior, to the success of Audubon's great work. Christine Jackson, writing of Robert Havell, Jnr., notes that he "was a very fine craftsman, and a substantial contributor to the success of Audubon's magnificent atlas. As the pressure of work increased on Audubon, he relied more on Havell to interpret his designs and complete his compositions by painting in the backgrounds, combining several drawings on to a single plate and sometimes adding finishing details" ( Dictionary of Bird Artists , p.277). Audubon had initially entrusted the engraving to the Edinburgh printer W. H. Lizars, but, following a strike in Lizars workshop after only a handful of plates had been printed, Audubon began to look for alternatives, and by September, 1827 was able to note that the work had been moved to the London shop of Robert Havell "because of the difficulty of finding colorers [in Edinburgh] made [the work] come too slowly and also because I have it done better and cheaper in London" (quoted by Fries, p. 23). The Audubon/Havell partnership almost fell at the first hurdle, in that Havell father and son had been estranged since 1825. But Audubon was inadvertently the agent of reconciliation: approached by Audubon, Havell Sr. felt he was too old to assume the broad mantle of responsibility for this monumental work but strove to find a young engraver with the qualifications and stamina to work under his and Audubon's instruction. Family accounts indicate that the elder Havell consulted his friend the art dealer and publisher, Colnaghi, who showed him an unfinished proof of a landscape by one of his engravers. Impressed with the work, Havell asked to be introduced to the engraver. "Then," said Colnaghi, "send for your son." "The singular incident of the anonymous engraver's proof brought about a reconciliation between father and son, who then entered upon a successful business partnership, henceforth known as Robert Havell and Son" (Fries, p. 25). Havell Sr. printed and coloured many of the plates of the Birds of America until his death in 1832, and the work was subsequently seen through to completion in 1838 by Havell Jr., who styled himself 'R. Havell, Esq.', after his father's death. The effect of working with Audubon on Havell can perhaps best be judged by the fact that in September 1839 Havell and his family emigrated to the United States, settling about twenty miles up the Hudson at Tarrytown, close to his old and appreciative friend. Havell went on to gain success as a landscape painter, specialising in views on the Hudson. He eventually died in Tarrytown in 1878. The genesis of the present work is interesting: as early as November 1826, Audubon had begun thinking about the text which should accompany his engraved illustrations of birds. He noted in his journal: 'I shall publish the letterpress in a separate book, at the same time with the illustrations and shall accompany the descriptions of the birds with many anecdotes and accounts of localities connected with the birds themselves ...' (M.R. Audubon Audubon and his journals 1897, vol.I, p.163). Audubon had taken the decision to publish the letterpress separately (and give it free to the subscribers to the plate volumes) because, according to British copyright law, had the letterpress accompanied the engravings, Audubon would have been obliged to deposit a copy of the work in each of the nine 'copyright libraries' in the United Kingdom. This would have placed a strain on the economics of the production of the book. Work on the text did not begin in earnest until the end of 1830, just as Havell was nearing the completion of the engraving of the first 100 drawings. Between 1831 and 1837 Audubon and his family made three trips to America. Audubon was back in London between 1837 and 1839, where he completed the descriptions of the last two volumes of the Ornithological Biography . On 20 November 1838, Audubon wrote to Bachman: "My fourth Vol. is finished and in 10 days I will have 200 copies of it at London where I hope you will be and receive several Copies to take over with you, for yourselves and others as then directed" (quoted by Fries, p. 111). This was probably the moment when Audubon inscribed the fourth volume of the present set to Havell. In addition to the inscription, four other examples of Audubon's hand are pasted onto the title pages of each off the other four volumes: these are evidently taken from envelopes or letter-covers addressed by Audubon to his collaborator and are a reminder of the constant stream of correspondence concerning the production of the Birds of America that would have flowed between the great ornithological artist and his equally-gifted engraver. Waldemar H. Fries The Double Elephant Folio The Story of Audubon's Birds of America (Chicago, 1973).

  • Bookseller Donald Heald Rare Books US (US)
  • Format/Binding 5 volumes, octavo
  • Book Condition Used
  • Quantity Available 1
  • Publisher Printed by Neill & Co. (Edinburgh) for Adam & Charles Black (Edinburgh) and R. Havell Jun., and Longman, Rees, Brown an
  • Place of Publication Edinburgh & London
  • Date Published 1839
  • Keywords 19th century

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Ornithological Biography, Or An Account Of The Habits Of The Birds Of The United States Of America: Accompanied By Descriptions Of The Objects Represented In The Work Entitled The Birds Of America, And Interspersed With Delineations Of American

by John James Audubon

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Ornithological Biography, Or An Account Of The Habits Of The Birds Of The United States Of America: Accompanied By Descriptions Of The Objects Represented In The Work Entitled The Birds Of America, And Interspersed With Delineations Of American

by John James Audubon

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Ornithological Biography, Or An Account Of The Habits Of The Birds Of The United States Of America: Accompanied By Descriptions Of The Objects Represented In The Work Entitled The Birds Of America, And Interspersed With Delineations Of American

by John James Audubon

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Hardcover
ISBN 13
9781018697253
ISBN 10
101869725x
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Ornithological Biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of...
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Ornithological Biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America; accompanied by descriptions of the objects represented in the work entitled The Birds of America, and interspersed with delineations of American scenery and manners

by AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851)

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Edinburgh & London: Printed by Neill & Co. (Edinburgh) for Adam & Charles Black (Edinburgh) and R. Havell Jun., and Longman, Rees, Brown and Green (London), and various others, 1835. Vols 1-3 (of 5), large 8vo. (9 3/4 x 6 inches). Half-titles. Numerous woodcut text illustrations. Prospectus for the Birds of America bound into rear of vol. 1. Bound to style in half calf and period cloth covered boards, spines ruled in blind, black morocco lettering pieces. First edition of the first three volumes of the separately-issued text for the elephant folio Birds of America, complete with the rare Prospectus. The genesis of the present work is interesting: as early as November 1826, Audubon had begun thinking about the text which should accompany his engraved illustrations of birds. He noted in his journal: "I shall publish the letterpress in a separate book, at the same time with the illustrations and shall accompany the descriptions of the birds with many anecdotes and accounts of localities connected with… Read More
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ORNITHOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY, OR AN ACCOUNT OF THE HABITS OF THE BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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ORNITHOLOGICAL BIOGRAPHY, OR AN ACCOUNT OF THE HABITS OF THE BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

by Audubon, John James

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  • Hardcover
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New Haven, Connecticut, United States
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Edinburgh, 1831-1839.. Five volumes. A few in-text illustrations. Half title in each volume. Large, thick octavos. Modern buckram, printed paper labels. Bookplate on front pastedowns. Contemporary ownership inscription on titlepage. Some light foxing, primarily to first and last few leaves. Tear in half title of second volume, repaired with tape. Very good. This is Audubon's text, designed to accompany the elephant folio edition of THE BIRDS OF AMERICA, giving sketches of the birds described therein. Of great interest are Audubon's accounts of his travels and adventures in the American hinterland, scattered through the volumes as part of the bird descriptions and as separate anecdotes. Includes accounts of his experiences in the Florida Keys, along the Mississippi, and in Louisiana and Kentucky in the 1820s and '30s. Audubon published the text separately from the double elephant folio plates in order to avoid a stricture of the British Copyright Act of 1709 which would have required him to deposit a… Read More
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Ornithological Biography Or An Account Of The Habits Of The Birds Of The United States Of...
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Ornithological Biography Or An Account Of The Habits Of The Birds Of The United States Of America; Accompanied By Descriptions Of The Objects Represented In The Work Entitled The Birds Of America, And Interspersed With Delineations Of American Scenery And Manners

by John James Audubon

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ISBN 13
9781462262359
ISBN 10
146226235X
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Adam Black, 1839. Hardcover. Very Good. 0x0x0. First edition of the separately-issued text for the elephant folio Birds of America. Edinburgh & London: Printed by Neill & Co. (Edinburgh) for Adam & Charles Black (Edinburgh) and R. Havell Jun., and Longman, Rees, Brown and Green (London), and various others, 1831-1834-1835-1838-"1849" [i.e.1839]. 5 volumes, large 8vo. (10 1/2 x 6 1/4 inches). Complete in five volumes. Vol I, Introductory Address and Table of Contents, xxiv, pp,506, index 507-512. Under the Special Patronage of Her Most Excellent Majesty, Queen Adelaide, Prospectus, Contents of Vol I of the Birds of America, Extracts from Reviews, Names of Subscribers. Vol II, 1834, Introduction, Table of Contents, XXXII(with a small hole on page 579, last page of table of contents, before the last paragraph, not affecting text), Subscribers to "The Birds of America", Index, pp.588. Vol III, 1635, Introduction, Table of Contents, XVI, Subscribers, Index, pp.638. Vol IV,… Read More
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$15,500.00