Get the best deals on john james audubon original art prints when you shop the largest. Tracking the most expensive book a copy of audubons birds of. Jun 12, 2018 a rare copy of audubons birds of america heads to auction to benefit conservation. Get the best deals on john james audubon original art prints when you shop the largest online selection at. John james audubon birds of america engagement book calendar 1984 by audubon, john james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. John bachman and john sell your john james audubon plate 81 fish hawk for sell or auction your john gould birds of europe book sell or auction your thomas l. A rare copy of audubons birds of america heads to auction to. Sothebys is delighted to be offering an early subscribers copy of audubons double elephant folioincomparably the most important and most beautiful colorplate book ever published, containing 435 magnificant handcolored etched plates, depicting in life size 1,065 birds representing 489 supposed species. Dec 08, 2010 birds of america by john james audubon surpassed presale estimates as it was sold at sothebys auction house in london last night. John james audubon was born on april 26, 1785 in les cayes, santo domingo now haiti. John james audubon bookplate plate 228 bird print 1966 bald eagle original. John james audubons birds of america on view now at chicagos field museum. John james audubon came to america as a dapper eighteenyearold eager to make his fortune. The value of john james audubon prints extend beyond market price, and his paintings and drawings continue to set the standard for avian artwork.
The years that he spent scouting and observing, painting and writing, were just the start of it. The artists market and biography, and their works prices and indices. John james audubon paintings for sale heritage auctions. Theres a good reason that the book commands such high prices. A complete first edition set of john james audubons gloriously illustrated the birds of america 18271838 goes up for auction june 14. Worlds most expensive book, birds of america, set to fetch. John james audubon the birds of america sotheby s auction catalog october 18 and 19, 1985. Make offer vtg 1937 the birds of america john james audubon book 1st ed. Also including the birds of america, published the macmillan company, 1937. The book, which was sold by the auction house sothebys, was purchased by micahel tollemache, a london. The 19th century masterpiece, replete with count em 435 handcolored illustrations, has long been considered a crucial document about u.
That was the scene tuesday in new york at sothebys auction house when the indiana historical society put two rare sets of original watercolor drawings by john james audubon up for bids. A rare copy of john james audubons natural history book birds of. James audubon 17851851 will be offered at sothebys fine books. Culture a rare copy of audubon s birds of america heads to auction to benefit conservation. Apr 01, 2014 that was the scene tuesday in new york at sothebys auction house when the indiana historical society put two rare sets of original watercolor drawings by john james audubon up for bids. His work was featured in numerous exhibitions at key galleries and museums, including the philadelphia museum of art and the melbourne museum. The book, which was sold by the auction house sothebys, was purchased by micahel tollemache, a london art dealer who was present in the room. April 26, 1785 january 27, 1851 was an american ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. View john james audubon original art for sale at auction. What do john audubon and a million dollar heist have to do with kentucky. The prints depicted each of north americas known bird varieties at the time. Copy of the worlds most expensive natural history book flies into.
Natural history prints depict the world of flora and fauna in exquisite, scientific detail. Prior to its publication, audubon struggled for recognition as a naturalist and artist. Find artist info, artworks for sale, and past pricing data from our auction archives. Mar, 2001 i cant believe anyone could find fault with this book based on textual errors. He was the illegitimate son of jean audubon, a french sea captain and agent for a nantes mercantile firm in santo domingo, and mlle. Sep 10, 2010 sothebys auction house worker mary engleheart, goes through a rare copy of a book of illustrations by john james audubon s birds of america, in central london, thursday sept. Sothebys hawks rare copy of john james audubons birds. Christies auction house in manhattan identified the. John james audubon paintings for sale john james audubon. Birds of america by john james audubon, first edition. Another copy heads to auction december 18 th at sothebys in new york. This is an unusually large and brilliantly colored. The doubleelephant folio first edition of john james audubons birds of.
Audubon created a genre of illustration that didnt exist before. Birds of america by john james audubon sets booksale. I cant believe anyone could find fault with this book based on textual errors. It was first published as a series in sections between 1827 and 1838, in edinburgh and london. Audubon havell edition price guide 1 the audubon havell edition and price guide john james audubon s original birds of america double elephant folio was easily the finest natural history book ever published. Ornithologist john james audubon labored over his lifes masterwork, the birds of america, from 1827 to 1838.
John james audubon bookplate plate 228 bird print 1966 bald eagle original art. Books and manuscripts specialist sven becker on john james audubons ornithological masterpiece the birds of america, one of the most. Sale n10256view print cataloguesothebys is delighted to be offering an early subscribers copy of audubons double elephant folioincomparably the most important and most beautiful colorplate book ever published, containing 435 magnificant handcolored etched plates, depicting in life size 1,065 birds representing 489 supposed species. Guide to collecting john james audubon prints skinner inc. John audubon auction and american animals kentucky ties. Often cited as the most expensive book of all time, there are still 120 known intact copies of john james audubons the birds of america which was published between 1827 and 1838. A rare copy of audubons birds of america heads to auction. The birds of america, the viviparous quadrupeds of north america achieved an impressive 3,770,000 usd. Prices at auctions for printmultiple artworks by john james audubon. John james audubon the birds of america sotheby s auction catalog october 18 and 19, 1985 on. Often cited as the most expensive book of all time, there are still 120 known intact copies of john james audubon s the birds of america which was published between 1827 and 1838.
Audubon originally published the book by subscription. Sell or auction your 1st edition john james audubon birds. John james audubon was an american 19th century artist who was born in 1785. Subscribe to access price results for 150,000 different artists. John james audubon artwork for sale at online auction. View over 10580 john james audubon artworks sold at auction to research and compare prices. Sell or auction your john james audubon birds of sell your first edition rev. Eventually, he created birds of america, a book containing 435 of john james audubons paintings compiled into prints. It was the highest price for a rare book sold at an. Jan 20, 2012 john james audubon was born on april 26, 1785 in les cayes, santo domingo now haiti.
Birds of america by john james audubon surpassed presale estimates as it was sold at sothebys auction house in london last night. The birds of america is a book by naturalist and painter john james audubon, containing illustrations of a wide variety of birds of the united states. Sothebys auction house worker mary engleheart, goes through a rare copy of a book of illustrations by john james audubons birds of america, in central london, thursday sept. John james audubon set the standard for fine prints of birds and mammals. John james audubon birds of america books mar 10, 2020.
The carolina parrot, beautifully illustrated in the book, was also blasted to extinction where it roosted not because it was edible but because it was a pest. Christies auctions first edition of audubons the birds. John james audubon original art prints for sale ebay. Eventually, he created birds of america, a book containing 435 of john james audubon s paintings compiled into prints. Worlds most expensive book, birds of america, set to. The birds of america from original drawings by john james audubon. A copy of the worlds most expensive book, john james audubons 19thcentury masterpiece birds of america, is set for auction later this month. The sale was led by the birds of america 182738, four monumental volumes of 435 handcolored aquatint plates depicting all of the thenknown species of birds found in the united states. Audubons birds of america, the most beautiful book in. An artist and naturalist, audubon set out at a young age to depict every bird in america at life size in its natural environment. John james audubon was an american artist and naturalist best known for his detailed paintings of north american birds. The making of an american, which got me interested in obtaining a copy of birds of america. Sothebys is delighted to be offering an early subscribers copy of audubon s double elephant folioincomparably the most important and most beautiful colorplate book ever published, containing 435 magnificant handcolored etched plates, depicting in life size 1,065 birds representing 489 supposed species. While there are a handful of books in the world that may be worth more, until 20 birds of america held the record for the most money paid at auction for any single.
View john james audubon s 5,924 artworks on artnet. A rare copy of audubons birds of america heads to auction to benefit conservation. The birds of america from original drawings by john james. Nov 16, 2015 view john james audubon original art for sale at auction. He went on to become an unstoppable oneman publishing industry, deeply involved with every aspect of the books production. See available prints and multiples, works on paper, and paintings for sale and learn about the artist.
If there was ever a book to put a man on the map, john james audubons the birds of america is it. Rare birds of america book by john james audubon sells for. Audubons birds of america, the most beautiful book in the. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices. John james audubon artwork for sale at online auction john. On june 14, one of the worlds most expensive books, john james audubons doubleelephant folio of the birds of america, will go to auction. Macmillan co publisher with lithographs by duenewald printing. An auction for the most valuable illustrated book in the world and a featurelength. Over the years many authors have written entire books about the birds of america publication. The birds of america by john james audubon macmillan co. Sothebys hawks rare copy of john james audubons birds of. He was notable for his extensive studies documenting all types of american birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats.
John james audubon the birds of america sothebys auction. Dec 12, 2018 it is hard to think of any other book that absorbed its creator so totally. It was the highest price for a rare book sold at an auction where the first telephone book, printed. He spent years trying to make ends meet as a businessman in the booming frontier towns of 19thcentury america. He had a talent for drawing and an interest in birds, and he would spend the next thirtyfive years traveling to the remotest regions of his new countryoften. The original watercolor paintings by john james audubon for the birds of america, published american heritage publishing co.
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