Book Description

One of Abbeville's most spectacular achievements, representing the highest standards in fine art printing, now available at a more economical price.

This marvelous edition of Audubon's Birds of America displays all 435 of Audubon's brilliant handcolored engravings in exquisite reproductions taken from the original plates of the Audubon Society's archival copy of the rare Double Elephant Folio. Although many attempts have been made to re-create the magnificent illustrations in Audubon's masterpiece, nothing equals the level of fidelity or scale achieved in this high-quality edition.

Completely reorganized and annotated by Roger Tory Peterson, who was America's best-known ornithologist, and issued with the full endorsement and cooperation of the Audubon Society, this volume is the first to rearrange the plates in a more scientific order. Peterson's fascinating introduction places Audubon in the context of the history of American ornithological art and also reproduces a wide sampling of the work of Audubon's notable predecessors and disciples, including Peterson's own justly famous paintings.

This new systematic arrangement of the prints, complete with informative commentaries about each bird, made it possible to correct many of the problems or errors in Audubon's original edition that later scholarship revealed.

Other Details:428 full-color illustrations, 435 duotones. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beautiful volume of audubon
If you are a birder and you collect all the great bird books, your collection is not complete until you get this. A beautiful book, contained in a hard case, with excellent printing. A steal at $250 at its original price, now knocked down between $125 to $185. Get this book! A great tribute to Peterson and Audubon. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Only a generation after Lewis and Clark's expedition, the artist and naturalist John James Audubon captured his contemporaries' imaginations with his illustrations in Birds of America. John James Audubon in the West celebrates a lesser-known work, Quadrupeds of North America, which is the focus of a traveling exhibition organized by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center of Cody, Wyoming. Audubon's Quadrupeds presented colored lithographs far superior to the outline engravings that normally illustrated encyclopedias and scientific volumes of his day. They have the same liveliness and sense of movement as the bird illustrations; background landscapes are small masterpieces in themselves; imaginative settings add a theatricality to many pictures, such as a tawny weasel at the throat of a farmyard chicken or a cougar with his kill; and details like the fur of squirrels and wolves are very fine. Audubon's research included a six-month field trip up the Missouri in 1843 that resulted in the discovery of several new species, including North America's only native ferret, the black-footed ferret--though the project was more important as art than as science. The 180 illustrations in John James Audubon in the West include the most successful of the animal pictures, preparatory sketches, and comparative material such as contemporary Western landscapes. Four essays by Audubon scholars analyze the artist's style, his Missouri journey, scientific collaborations, and the technical and commercial context for the publication of Quadrupeds. While his birds will always overshadow his work on mammals, John James Audubon in the West introduces an important pioneering study and a fascinating piece of American history. --John Stevenson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great stuff, even though I hate Roman numerals.
Excellent scholarly work that explains and shows what Audubon did, and how he did it. As a collector of original Audubon Havell prints, I found the introductory chapters to be informative, readable and very helpful. Wonderful explanations of his technique. About eighty of the plates are rendered nearly full size in this large book. The other 390 are included in an index as full-color 3 X 4 prints. All of the 435 original "Birds of America" images are in this book as well as quite a few other Audubon watercolors that were never syndicated for printing. There are several appendices including one that lists the actual size of each watercolor. Very helpful to a collector. I especially enjoy comparing Audubon's original watercolor paintings depicted in this book, with the large, excellent renderings of the Havell prints in "Audubon Birds of America" by Tim Parmentor, also available from Amazon. My one tiny complaint is that all of the color images are designated by the Roman numerals that Audubon assigned to them. Pain in the neck. Great gift book for both art students and birdwatchers. ... Read more

Book Description

By far the most comprehensive guide available to the bird and quadruped prints of John James Audubon (1785-1851), Audubon Art Prints offers buyers, sellers, and collectors an easy-to-use, one-volume source of information for these widely sought-after prints. When Bill Steiner first became interested in acquiring original Audubon prints, he was surprised by the dearth of conveniently accessible, accurate information on the subject. In an effort to catalog all things Audubon, he unearthed obscure references, surveyed the contemporary marketplace, and consulted specialists from around the world. The results of his labors, gathered here in this lavishly illustrated volume, provide an invaluable and fascinating encyclopedic reference.

Addressing one of the more complex aspects of print collection, Steiner clarifies the task of distinguishing the octavo prints of the successive editions of Audubon's Birds of America (1840-1871) and Quadrupeds of North America (1849-1870). He describes the publication histories of each edition since the first; offers information about printers, engravers, and subscribers; and provides practical information on price histories, accessibility, and preservation. Steiner also explores the increasingly popular markets for subsidiary prints, posters, and Audubon ephemera. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent Resource to Amateur Collectors of Audubon Prints
I got my copy a few months ago from Amazon.Com, and essentially read through it cover-to-cover, so to speak. I am an amateur collector of Audubon prints, and an enthusiast of Audubon's life, and the legacy he left behind for all the Americans. I think Bill Steiner's book is an invaluable resource that fills a major void about Audubon's prints - - It provides information on what to look for in collecting prints, which prints have significant value now and likely to appreciate in future, the technical details of production of Havells, Imperials, Biens, and the Octavos, some details on restoration and conservation, tips on internet-based sales, his own assesment of the Quality of various double-elephant folio prints (including modern day real high-quality reproductions such as the Amsterdams and the Princetons),and the names of several Audubon galleries (I didn't know some of them existed until after reading the book). Last but not the least, I enjoyed Bill's sense of humor (I particularly had a good laugh reading the recount of his experience at Christie's Auction House). I only wish his book were available to me a couple of years ago when I first started collecting the prints ! I recommend this book highly.

The perfect launching pad for a jump into Audubon prints
As an art dealer specializing in original Audubon prints, I hear from many people who hope the Carolina Parrot print they found in the attic will turn out to be worth a fortune. Finally, there is a book that will help them...and me!

This well-illustrated book is the first to read if you have an interest (old or new) in Audubon prints. The book covers the original prints, the valuable full-sized facsimiles, and the not-so-valuable undersized reproductions. Steiner discusses all the major categories (and editions) of original prints including octavo (small) and folio (large), the birds and animals, the copper-plate etchings and the stone lithographs. He also provides a helpful overview of the vast number of facsimile and reproduction editions in circulation. While not complete, it is remarkably comprehensive and will help answer many an Audubon newcomer's questions.

Novice collectors will find everything they need to begin either a serious or casual exploration of Audubon's art--biography, glossary of terms, authentication guidelines (much easier than you may think!), sample prices, information on dealers and guidance on how to buy or sell prints. Seasoned collectors will find previously unpublished information that disproves or amends rules-of thumb that have been gospel for years; they will also find many new sources for prints, books, and educational pursuits.

Steiner has strong opinions and personal interests with regard to Audubon, and they are reflected in the text, but he is diligent about labeling them as such, and putting the more esoteric of his interests where they belong--in one of the book's many appendices. Overall, he has done an excellent job pulling together information from disparate sources, making available to collectors for the first time much "dealer lore"--information previously known only by Audubon specialists. This is a quick-reading book, and one that both dealers and collectors will refer to for years to come.

Compiled by a field ecologist and veteran bird-watcher
Compiled by field ecologist and veteran bird-watcher Bill Steiner, Audubon Art Prints: A Collector's Guide To Every Edition is a first-rate guide to the many distinctive avian prints and paintings of John James Audubon (1785-1851). The informative and scholarly text definitively recounts what these great works of art have sold for, as well as the stories behind the creation of the individual artworks. A superb resource for collectors and an indispensable addition to academic American Art History reference collections, Audubon Art Prints is a superbly organized and very strongly recommended presentation enhanced with twenty-two color illustrations and fifty-five halftones.

Unlocking the Door to the World of Audubon Prints
One of the most common stories you hear while visiting purveyors of original Audubon prints is how they constantly receive phone calls asking "is my Audubon print an original?" Of course, this is due to the combination of two phenomena - people have the general notion that Audubon prints are valuable, but there are millions of reproductions out there which, although they may be aesthetically pleasing, are not worth much. How to tell if you hit the jackpot (an Antiques Roadshow moment) without making that phone call? Buy this book. Bill Steiner has written the first extensive treatment on Audubon prints from the viewpoint of the collector. There are lots of books about Audubon out there, and some scholarly books on the original prints (most notably by Susanne Low). But, this book lays out all the knowledge gathered by an avid collector, accumulated over many years of poking through print shops and galleries and examining large numbers of Audubon prints, of all kinds. If you don't have the time to learn all these details the old fashioned way, as Bill Steiner did, then this is your best key to the world of collecting Audubon prints. It is written in an almost folksy style, and is very accessible to the reader. Of great importance to anyone thinking of starting to obtain some of those actually genuine original Audubon prints is an evaluation of how to do this via auction, and in particular, via online auction sites. But, this book is more than just for the beginner, and long-time connoisseurs of Audubon will immensely enjoy it, both for validation of what they already knew, as well as to see if the author knows something they don't!

ALL THINGS AUDUBON - GUIDANCE FOR THE COLLECTOR
As a collector and publisher of Audubon prints, I am finding Bill Steiner's fresh and realistic approach to Audubon collecting quite refreshing. With the growing interest in collecting all things Audubon, Bill Steiner separates the dream from the fantasy, and those who are now just setting out in the sometimes confusing world of Audubon print collecting would be well-advised to study this book. Steiner's book is a primer for the novice and a most useful handbook for experienced collectors. Those new to collecting Audubon's beautiful images will be given wisdom beyond their years, and will be spared the common and costly initial mistakes newer collectors often make. Often I have seen Audubon reproduction prints that were worth a few dollars at most, auctioned off on eBay for hundreds of dollars. I have also seen prints described as 'first edition octavos' when they were in reality just pages torn from a modern-day book. Steiner will step by step guide you through this area, and show you what is valuable, and what is worthless. Further, his thorough research will help anyone identify the Audubon prints they may already have, as he lists characteristics of all the major editions available today on the market. There is also excellent background information on the original prints themselves, such as how and when they were produced, how to determine their value, and how to care for them. Chapter 7 speaks about buying and selling Audubon prints, such as through eBay, and is filled with practical suggestions that will make this experience productive. Audubon print collectors, or those who just want to purchase one or two prints for their home, will benefit from this instructive publication. ... Read more

Book Description

In his magisterial Fine Bird Books, Sir Sacheverall Sitwell says of Audubon: 'There is nothing in the world of fine books quite like the discovery of Audubon.The giant energy of the man, his power of achievement and accomplishment, give him something of the epical force of a Walt Whitman or a Herman Melville...Audubon is the greatest of bird Painters; he belongs to American history.'
John James Audubon's Birds of America, from which this selection has been taken, is the finest pictorial ornithological book ever produced.Unlike the drawings and paintings of his contemporaries, which were produced from prepared skins and zoo specimens, Audubon's paintings are taken directly from his observations in the wild, and the richness and directness come straight from the real world.No wonder that Audubon became known in his lifetime as 'The American Woodsman'.
Audubon was unable to raise sufficient financial backing in the United States and he sailed for England in 1826.In its original form, Birds of America contained 435 hand-colored, aquatinted plates which were completed between 1827 and 1838.It was printed in London and bound into four double elephant folio volumes (measuring approximately 30 X 27 inches (76 X 69 cm)) so that all the birds could be illustrated life-size.Between 175 and 200 sets were produced, and the last complete set to come to auction fetched nearly $3,000,000. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

.....not just for the birds..
"Audubon: American Birds" is a not only a wonderful introduction to Audubon's works but a portrait of the birds as seen through the eyes of a great American naturalist. The volume also serves as a good reference source though tempered with an romantic view giving the astute reader an additional insight into the times in which Audubon worked. I would definately recomment this book to both the birder and art lover. ... Read more

Book Description

A landmark volume collects the writings and drawings of America's greatest artist-naturalist

The breathtaking art of John James Audubon's Birds of America has been celebrated throughout the world since it first appeared over 150 years ago. Less well known is Audubon's literary legacy -- the magnificent volumes of natural history he published during his lifetime, as well as the remarkable journals, memoirs, and letters left behind at his death. Now, with The Library of America's unprecedented John James Audubon: Writings and Drawings, Audubon the great nature writer takes his rightful place alongside Audubon the artist.

Here is the most comprehensive selection of Audubon's writings ever published, along with a spectacular portfolio of his drawings. The "Mississippi River Journal," the foremost record of an American artist's progress, details Audubon's first wilderness bird hunts. Selections from his "1826 Journal" follow him to Europe, where his abilities were finally recognized. Audubon's masterwork, the five-volume Ornithological Biography, is here generously represented by 45 entries. Charming, haunting, and violent by turns, these vivid intimate portraits of the habits and habitats of America's birds, from the curious mating rituals of the Wild Turkey to the sublime spectacle of the migration of the now vanished Passenger Pigeon, changed American nature writing forever. The "Missouri River Journals" evoke the vanishing American Indian and the hardships of frontier life. An extensive selection of letters charting almost 20 years of Audubon's artistic development, along with two essays on artistic technique and a brief memoir, round out the volume. For the first time, all texts have been painstakingly prepared from original sources. General and ornithological indices will aid the reader in the field as well as in the study. Sixty-four full-color plates, and fascinating manuscript sketches, some never before published, offer a unique perspective on Audubon's art. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Masterpiece of Nature Writing
Anyone looking for a chronicle of the American wilderness in its infancy would do well to start here. There is great charm in the journals of 1820, where the spellings are still Audubon's own, and the flavor of the times -- especially regarding life on the frontier, and concerning everyday life in old New Orleans -- is everywhere. With his "Bird Biographies" of everyday varieties, as well as descriptions of now-extinct species, such as the Carolina Parakeet, and Ivory Billed Woodpeckers, this book is a treasure not just for nature lovers and bird aficianados, but for lovers of history as well. ... Read more

Book Description

Splendid sourcebook, with 60 distinctive designs, includes carefully rendered illustrations of red-winged blackbird, indigo bunting, northern cardinal, black-capped chickadee, passenger pigeon, many more. All depicted in characteristic poses and positions amid natural surroundings. Indentifying captions.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Study of the Man
This book is a departure from the ordinary. Yes, there is much about his art and work, but there is much more about the man himself. Any who wish to get a reading of Audubon's personality, his mind-set, his values, must read this work by Foshay. Our business is Audubon, and we feel this book is the best to come out in years. Like the images Audubon produced, this book has "life" in it - Audubon's life. It will make you feel that you know the man. - EZ, Princeton Audubon ... Read more

Download Description

Had a man the size of a mountain spoken to me in that arrogant style in America, I should have indignantly resented it; but where I then was it seemed best to swallow and digest it as well as I could. So in reply to the offensive arrogance of the banker, I said I should be honoured by his subscription to the Birds of America." 'Sir,' he said, 'I never sign my name to any subscription list, but you may send in your work and I will pay for a copy of it. Gentlemen, I am busy. I wish you good morning.' We were busy men, too, and so bowing respectfully, we retired, pretty well satisfied with the small slice of his opulence which our labour was likely to obtain. ... Read more

Book Description

In the summer of 1833, John James Audubon, his son and severalfriends embarked on the schooner "Ripley" and sailed from Eastport, Maine toNova Scotia to the St. Lawrence. Audubon kept a detailed diary describing theland, the sea, the vegetation, the people and, above all, the birds that heencountered. Many of the paintings he created along the way are considered hismost beautiful and are reproduced here in "Audubon's Wilderness Palette." Many of the birds represented here have become extinct or are threatened. Withthe strokes of his brush, Audubon has in many ways preserved a natural legacy,permitting those who view his paintings and engravings the opportunity to visita world that has vanished.

David Lank has written twenty-one books on subjects ranging from wildlife art totrekking in the Himalayas. He gave the birthday address for John James Audubonat the New York Historical Society in 1985. ... Read more