Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6

John James Audubon
Yellow-breasted Rail Bird: Original 19th C. Audubon Hand-colored Lithograph

1840

About the Item

This is an original 1st octavo edition John James Audubon hand-colored lithograph entitled "yellow-breasted Rail, Adult Male in Spring", No. 62, Plate 307, from Audubon's "Birds of America". It was lithographed, printed and colored by J. T. Bowen and published in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1841. It depicts an adult male yellow-breasted Rail bird on the left standing on a rock on the bank of a body of water, looking to the right, perhaps at something in the water or on an island on the right with trees. The landscape surrounding the bird is striking. This original 1st octavo edition hand-colored Audubon lithograph has binding holes along lower edge and a few tiny, barely perceptible spots. It is otherwise in very good condition. The sheet measures 6.5" high by 10." wide. The descriptive text pages, 152-156, from Audubon's original publication are included. John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a naturalist and artist. He was initially unsuccessful financially prior to the publication of his famous work “The Birds of America”, spending time in debtor’s prison, once stabbing a disgruntled investor in self-defense. However, his obsession with birds and art motivated him to persist in his goal of documenting every bird in America via his watercolor paintings and publishing his works for all to enjoy. Audubon's first illustrations were published in a large elephant folio size. Due to their expense they were purchased in rather small numbers by the wealthy. To reach a larger audience, Audubon, with the help of his sons and J. T. Bowen, published a smaller octavo sized lithograph version, which were much more affordable. With the success of his bird projects, Audubon then turned his attention to four-legged animals. He explored the Missouri River in 1843 sketching the four-legged animals he encountered in their natural setting. His expedition covered some of the same regions recently explored by Lewis and Clark, traveling from present day Alaska to Mexico. Audubon realized that this was an opportunity to document these animals in the still relatively pristine American wilderness, before man encroached on their environment. Between 1845 and 1848, Audubon and his sons John Woodhouse Audubon and Victor Gifford Audubon produced a set of elephant folio sized lithographs that were primarily engraved and hand colored by J. T. Bowen in Philadelphia. The publication, which included text descriptions of the animals was published 3 years before Audubon died. As with the birds, this was followed by a three-volume set of 155 octavo-sized plates entitled “The Quadrupeds of North America” completed and published by Audubon’s sons, John, Jr. and Victor. Audubon prints continue to be popular and a wise investment. The double elephant folio set “The Birds of America” have sold at auction for as much as $8.8 million, and individual plates may sell for six figures. The beautiful octavo sized plates are not as expensive, but becoming more sought after, as the folio bird plates become unattainable to all but the very wealthy.
  • Creator:
    John James Audubon (1785-1851, American, French)
  • Creation Year:
    1840
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)Width: 10 in (25.4 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Framing:
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Alamo, CA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: # 49601stDibs: LU1173211120612

More From This Seller

View All
Flame-bearer Hummingbirds: A 19th C. Gould Hand-colored "Selasphorus Scintilla"
By John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter
Located in Alamo, CA
This is a hand-colored folio sized lithograph entitled "Selasphorus Scintilla" (Little Flame-bearer Hummingbirds) by John Gould, Plate 162 in his "A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-birds", published in London in 1850. The print, which was drawn by Gould and Henry Richter and lithographed by Hullmandel and Walton, depicts three brown, green, ochre-colored hummingbirds with flame red protrusions under their beaks; perched on broad moss green-colored leaves of a plant with pale blue-colored flowers. This beautiful Gould hand-colored hummingbird lithograph is augmented with iridescent gum-arabic paint. It is in excellent condition. The original text page is included, which has extensive foxing related to the lower quality paper used for the text pages in the publication. There are several other unframed Gould hummingbird...
Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

"The Jaguar", an Original 19th C. Audubon Hand Colored Quadruped Lithograph
By John James Audubon
Located in Alamo, CA
This rare original John James Audubon hand-colored royal octavo lithograph is entitled "The Jaguar", No. 21, Plate CI, 101 from Audubon's "Quadrupeds of North America". It was drawn ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Cinnamon Bear: An Original 19th Century Audubon Hand-colored Lithograph
By John James Audubon
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century John James Audubon hand colored lithograph entitled "Cinnamon Bear", No. 26, Plate CXXVII, 127 from Audubon's "Quadrupeds of North America", printed ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

The Texan Turtle Dove: An Original 19th C. Audubon Hand-colored Bird Lithograph
By John James Audubon
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century John James Audubon hand-colored lithograph entitled "The Texan Turtle Dove, Male", No. 100, Plate 496 from Audubon's "Birds of America, lithographed,...
Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Common Scaup Duck: An Original 19th C. Audubon Hand-colored Bird Lithograph
By John James Audubon
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century John James Audubon hand-colored lithograph entitled "Common Scaup Duck, 1. Male, 2. Female", No. 100, Plate 498 from Audubon's "Birds of America, lithographed, printed and colored by J. T. Bowen and published in Philadelphia in 1856. It depicts male and female Scaup ducks sitting on a mound, looking to the right at water. A lighthouse is seen on a point of land in the background on the right. This original hand-colored Common Scaup Duck lithograph...
Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Le Contis Sharp-tailed Bunting: Original Audubon Hand-colored Bird Lithograph
By John James Audubon
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century John James Audubon hand-colored lithograph entitled "Le Contis Sharp-tailed Bunting, Male", No. 98, Plate 488 from Audubon's "Birds of America, litho...
Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

You May Also Like

Terriers No. 2
Located in Columbia, MO
Terriers No. 2 1883-84 Chromolithograph 8.5 x 11 inches
Category

1880s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Terriers No. 1
Located in Columbia, MO
Terriers No. 1 1883-84 Chromolithograph 8.5 x 11 inches
Category

1880s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Dalmation & Bull Terrier
Located in Columbia, MO
Dalmation & Bull Terrier 1883-84 Chromolithograph 8.5 x 11 inches
Category

1880s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Dachsunds
Located in Columbia, MO
Dachsunds 1883-84 Chromolithograph 8.5 x 11 inches
Category

1880s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Pug, Greyhound, Terrier
Located in Columbia, MO
Pug, Greyhound, Terrier 1883-84 Chromolithograph 8.5 x 11 inches
Category

1880s Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Stow Wengenroth, Friendly Neighbors (Birds)
By Stow Wengenroth
Located in New York, NY
Edition of 80. Signed and numbered in pencil. Really, no one could draw on a lithographic stone like Stow Wengenroth. He drew many animals and birds...
Category

Mid-20th Century Naturalistic Landscape Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Recently Viewed

View All