Framed Original Audubon Hand-Colored Bird Lithograph of Caracara EaglesItem Status:
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John James AudubonFramed Original Audubon Hand-Colored Bird Lithograph of Caracara Eagles1856-1871
1856-1871
$975Asking Price

About
An original John James Audubon hand finished lithograph entitled "Caracara Eagle", No. 1 Plate 4 from Audubon's "Birds of America, lithographed, printed and colored by JT Bowen and published in Philadelphia between 1856-1871. It depicts two colorful eagles, one on a branch and the other in flight. A lake and a forest are seen in the background.
This original hand-colored Audubon bird lithograph is presented in a medium brown colored apparently maple wood frame with attractive grain pattern and a light cream colored French mat with a dark gray and tan marbled highlight band. It is glazed with plexiglass. The original text is attached to the back of the frame in a clear sleeve. There are three tiny spots in the upper print, but the print and frame are otherwise in excellent condition.
Provenance: The lithograph was owned by Frank J. Caufield, San Francisco (CA) and Montecito (CA). Mr. Caufield was one of the founding partners of Kleiner, Perkins Caufield, and Byers, the first great venture capital firm in Silicon Valley. The print was sold and framed by W. Graham Arader Gallery in 1993.
There are three other original hand colored Audubon bird lithographs listed on 1stdibs that are framed and matted identically to this one, all with the same provenance. Although they are beautiful on their own they would make an impressive display grouping of two, three or four lithographs. They can be viewed on 1stdibs using their reference numbers: LU117326636052, LU117326636062 and LU117326635992 or by typing Timeless Intaglio in the search field. A discount is available for the purchase of multiple items.
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 of quadrupeds 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.
To view additional original hand-colored Audubon bird and quadruped lithographs listed on 1stdibs, type Timeless Intaglio in the search field to be taken to the storefront.
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.
Details
- CreatorJohn James Audubon (1785-1851, American, French)
- Creation Year1856-1871
- DimensionsHeight: 16 in. (40.64 cm)Width: 12.5 in. (31.75 cm)Depth: .75 in. (1.91 cm)
- Medium
- Movement & Style
- Period
- Condition
- Gallery LocationAlamo, CA
- Reference NumberSeller: # 44291stDibs: LU117326636042
Shipping & Returns
- Shipping$110 Standard Shippingto anywhere in the world, arrives in 3-5 weeks. We recommend this shipping type based on item size, type and fragility.Delivered by a parcel delivery service such as UPS, FedEx, or DHL.Ships From: Alamo, CA
- Return Policy
A return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
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About the SellerLocated in Alamo, CA
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