AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851), [and William MACGILLIVRAY]. 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. Edinburgh, London, [etc.]: Neill & Co. for Adam Black, R. Havell, jun., and others, 1831-1835.
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851), [and William MACGILLIVRAY]. 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. Edinburgh, London, [etc.]: Neill & Co. for Adam Black, R. Havell, jun., and others, 1831-1835. 5 volumes, 8° (vol I. 250 x 158mm others 265 x 163mm). Half-titles vols. 2-5. (Lacking subscribers list, announcement of “The Birds of America,” prospectus, and reviews, some spotting or staining, a few repairs). Modern red half morocco. Provenance : George and Laura Gifford (bookplate). FIRST EDITION of the text that Audubon published to accompany the double-elephant folios of Birds of America . Although the text describes each of the plates, it was published separately by Audubon in order to circumvent the British copyright act of 1709 which required that a copy of any book with text published in Great Britain had to be sent to each of the nine copyright libraries. Audubon could ill-afford the loss in revenue that would have been involved in presenting nine sets of his engravings, so published them initially without letterpress. Cf. BM(NH) I, p.71; cf. Wood pp.207-8; cf. Zimmer pp.18-19.
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851), [and William MACGILLIVRAY]. 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. Edinburgh, London, [etc.]: Neill & Co. for Adam Black, R. Havell, jun., and others, 1831-1835.
AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851), [and William MACGILLIVRAY]. 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. Edinburgh, London, [etc.]: Neill & Co. for Adam Black, R. Havell, jun., and others, 1831-1835. 5 volumes, 8° (vol I. 250 x 158mm others 265 x 163mm). Half-titles vols. 2-5. (Lacking subscribers list, announcement of “The Birds of America,” prospectus, and reviews, some spotting or staining, a few repairs). Modern red half morocco. Provenance : George and Laura Gifford (bookplate). FIRST EDITION of the text that Audubon published to accompany the double-elephant folios of Birds of America . Although the text describes each of the plates, it was published separately by Audubon in order to circumvent the British copyright act of 1709 which required that a copy of any book with text published in Great Britain had to be sent to each of the nine copyright libraries. Audubon could ill-afford the loss in revenue that would have been involved in presenting nine sets of his engravings, so published them initially without letterpress. Cf. BM(NH) I, p.71; cf. Wood pp.207-8; cf. Zimmer pp.18-19.
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Create an alert![AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851), [and William MACGILLIVRAY] ...](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2015/NYR/2015_NYR_12436_0015_000(audubon_john_james_and_william_macgillivray_ornithological_biography_o).jpg "Source: Christie's")
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