John James Audubon’s Birds of America sold for £7.3 million at Sotheby’s yesterday. It is hand colored and measures 3ft x 2ft.
From the Auction notes:
First edition, 4 volumes, broadsheets (volume 1: 97.2 x 65.4cm. (38¼ x 25¾”); volume 2: 97.1 x 63.9cm. (38¼ x 25⅛”); volume 3: 97.2 x 63.8cm. (38¼ x 25⅛”); volume 4: 97.5 x 64.5cm. (38⅜ x 25⅜”)), 4 engraved titles, 435 magnificent hand-coloured etched plates with line-engraving and aquatint, by W.H. Lizars of Edinburgh and by Robert Havell and Robert Havell, Jr. of London, after the original life-size watercolours by Audubon, watermarks J. Whatman or J. Whatman Turkey Mill 1827-1838
A plate-by-plate survey of the copy including watermarks and notes on all but the most minor defects is available from the London or New York Book Departments, and on Sothebys.com.
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