"Arctic Puffin": Original Audubon Hand-colored First Octavo Edition Lithograph

View Similar Items

John James Audubon - Camas Rat (Gopher): An Original 19th Century Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon

John James Audubon - Cat Squirrel: An Original 19th Century Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon

John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter - Veillot's Crested Fireback Birds: 19th C. Hand-colored Lithograph by John Gould

John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter - Great Snipe Birds: A 19th C. Hand-colored Lithograph by John Gould

John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter - Pied Flycatcher Birds: 19th C. Hand-colored Folio-sized Lithograph by John Gould

John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter - White-throated Hummingbirds: A 19th C. Hand-colored Lithograph by John Gould

John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter - Black-headed Pitta Birds: A 19th C. Hand-colored Lithograph by John Gould

John James Audubon - Virginian Rail: An Original 19th C. Audubon Hand-colored Bird Lithograph

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

John James Audubon - Canada Porcupine: Original 19th Century Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon

John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter - Ince's Paradise Flycatcher Birds: 19th C. Hand-colored Lithograph by John Gould

John James Audubon - Trumpeter Swan: an Original 1st Edition Hand Colored Audubon Bird Lithograph

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 5

After John James Audubon
"Arctic Puffin": Original Audubon Hand-colored First Octavo Edition Lithograph
1840

Name: "Arctic Puffin": Original Audubon Hand-colored First Octavo Edition Lithograph
Brand: After John James Audubon
Rating: 5 (38 reviews)

Price:$1,475

$1,740List Price

About the Item

An original rare and extremely collectible first octavo edition John James Audubon hand-colored royal octavo lithograph entitled "Common or Arctic Puffin, No. 93, Plate 464, from Audubon's "Birds of America". It was lithographed, printed and colored by J. T. Bowen and published in Philadelphia between 1840-1844. It depicts adult male and female puffins on land next to a body of water with hills in the background. The male puffin is standing and the female lying on the ground. This original first edition hand-colored Audubon bird lithograph is in excellent condition, other than minimal wavy paper edge where the print was previously bound in the publication and small spots at the edge of the right margin. The sheet measures 6.5" x 10.13". The original descriptive text pages 238-244 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:
After John James Audubon
Creation Year:
1840
Dimensions:
Height: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)Width: 10.13 in (25.74 cm)
Medium:
Lithograph
Movement & Style:
Naturalistic
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Framing:
Framing Options Available
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Alamo, CA
Reference Number:
Seller: # 26221stDibs: LU117329286862

More From This Seller

View All

Bearded Tree Swift Birds: 19th C. Hand-colored Lithograph by John Gould

By John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter

Located in Alamo, CA

This is a remarkable hand-colored folio sized lithograph entitled "Dendrochelidon Mystaceus" (Bearded Tree-Swift) by John Gould from his monograph "The Birds of Great Britain", publi...

Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

John Gould and Henry Constantine Richter
Bearded Tree Swift Birds: 19th C. Hand-colored Lithograph by John Gould, 1862

$2,175

Townsend's Arvicola: Original 19th Cent. Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon

By John James Audubon

Located in Alamo, CA

This is an original John James Audubon hand-colored lithograph entitled "Townsend's Arvicola; Sharp-nosed Arvicola; Bank Rat", No. 31, Plate CXLIV from John James Audubon's Quadruped...

Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

John James Audubon
Townsend's Arvicola: Original 19th Cent. Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon, 1849-1854

$95

American Black Bear: Original 19th C. Audubon Hand Colored Quadruped Lithograph

By John James Audubon

Located in Alamo, CA

This is an original John James Audubon hand-colored royal octavo lithograph entitled "American Black Bear", No. 29, Plate CXLI from Audubon's "Quadrupeds of North America". It was dr...

Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

John James Audubon
American Black Bear: Original 19th C. Audubon Hand Colored Quadruped Lithograph, 1849-1854

$975

Long-Haired Squirrel: Original 19th Century Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon

By John James Audubon

Located in Alamo, CA

This is an original John James Audubon hand-colored lithograph entitled "Long Haired Squirrel, No. 6, Plate XXVII", from John James Audubon's Quadrupeds of North America, published i...

Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

John James Audubon
Long-Haired Squirrel: Original 19th Century Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon, 1849-1854

$225

Collies Squirrel: An Original 19th Century Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon

By John James Audubon

Located in Alamo, CA

This is an original John James Audubon hand-colored lithograph entitled "Collies Squirrel, No. 21, Plate CIV", from John James Audubon's Quadrupeds of North America, published in Phi...

Category

Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Animal Prints

Materials

Lithograph

John James Audubon
Collies Squirrel: An Original 19th Century Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon, 1849-1854

$225

Black or Silver Fox: An Original 19th Century Hand-colored Lithograph by Audubon

By John James Audubon

Located in Alamo, CA

This is an original John James Audubon hand-colored lithograph entitled "American Black or Silver Fox, No. 24, Plate CXVI" from John James Audubon's Quadrupeds of North America, publ...

Category