ALEXANDER WILSON (1766-1813)
Alexander Wilson, known as the “Father of American Ornithology, and the first to seriously study and draw America’s birds, added 39 species to those previously known in this young country. A native of Scotland, he settled in the Philadelphia area, then the intellectual and cultural center of the United States, in 1794. Wilson trained himself to draw and traveled the then settled country – east of the Mississippi – to find and study the birds of his adopted nation. His bird drawings, often grouped together in quaint plates, achieve a pleasing effect and have attracted the astute collector even in competition with Audubon’s life-size and dramatic images. These excellent copper plate engravings have risen in demand and grown scarce in just the last decade. This quality of bird art will never be duplicated.
Wilson’s AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY began publication in 1808 and was completed in 1814, one year after his death. The first significant color plate book published in the U. S., Wilson’s work contributed greatly to the study of ornithology. For the first time we are able to offer plates from the First Edition of Wilson's important work. For the American natural history print collector these prints fill the gap between Mark Catesby and John J. Audubon. They are charming drawings, nearly 200 years old. Six plates were sold by the former owner. The condition is generally excellent, with beautiful hand-coloring. The original descriptive text by Wilson accompanies each print! They measure about 11 x 14 inches, up or down, depending on the cut by the bookbinder. Where condition is an issue, it is factored into the price. This would usually be light foxing. Also, those in restoration are marked with an "R". Enjoy!
PLATE
1 Blue Jay, Goldfinch and Baltimore Bird $1200 SOLD
3 Gold-winged Woodpecker, Black-throated Bunting and Blue Bird $950
4 Orchard Oriole $625
5 Great American Shrike, Pine Grosbeak, Ruby-crowned Wren and Shore Lark $550
7 Cedar Bird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Flycatcher and Purple Finch $950
9 Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker $1200 SOLD
10 Mocking Bird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Towhe Bunting $1400
12 Rice Bunting, Red-eyed Flycatcher, Marsh Wren, Great Carolina Wren and Yellow-throat Warbler $550
13 Tyrant, Great-crested, Small green and PeeWee Flycatchers $700
14 Brown Thrush, Golden-crowned Thrush, Cat Bird, Baybreasted Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler and Mourning Warbler $900
15 Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown Nuthatch, Pigeon Hawk, three Warblers $650
16 American Sparrow Hawk, Field Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Snow Bird $1200
17 American Siskin, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Green black-throated Warbler, Yellow rump Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Solitary Flycatcher $750
18 Cow Bunting, Maryland Yellow throat, Blue grey Flycatcher, White-eyed Flycatcher $250
19 Mottled Owl, Meadow Lark, Black and White Creeper and Pine-creeping Warbler $850
20 Louisiana Tanager, Clarks Crow, Lewis’s Woodpecker $1200 SOLD
21 Canada Jay, Snow Bunting, Rusty Grackle and Purple Grackle $450
22 Swamp sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Fox-colored Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike $450
23 Belted Kingfisher, Black and yellow Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Autumnal Warbler, Water Thrush $1500
24 Painted Bunting, Prothonotary Warbler, Wormeating Warbler, Yellow-winged Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak $800
25 Mississippi Kite, Tennessee Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Prairie Warbler $850
26 Carolina Parrot, Canada, Hooded and Green black-capt Flycatchers. Restored, $550
27 Pinneated Grouse, Blue green Warbler, Nashville Warbler $800
28 Carolina and Black-billed Cuckoos, Blue Yellow-backed and Yellow Red-poll Warblers $550
30 Red-winged Starling, Black-poll Warbler, Lesser Red-poll $750
31 American and White-winged Crossbill, White-winged and Bay-winged Buntings $550
33 Rough-legged Falcon, Barred Owl, Short-eared Owl $900
34 Little Owl, Seaside Finch, Sharp-tailed Finch, Savannah Finch $550
35 Winter Falcon, Magpie and Crow $550
36 White-headed Eagle $1800
37 Fish Hawk, Fish-Crow, Ring Plover, Least Snipe $750
38 Barn Swallow, White-bellied Swallow, Bank Swallow - Foxed $350
41 Whip-poor-will $950
42 Red Owl, Warbling Flycatcher, Purple Finch, Brown Lark $650
43 Turtle Dove, Hermit Thrush, Tawney Thrush, Pine-swamp Warbler (foxing) $750
44 Passenger Pigeon, Blue-mountain Warbler, Hemlock Warbler $1800
45 Sharp-shinned Hawk, Redstart, Yellow-rump warbler - with lizard (foxing) $450
46 Slate-colored Hawk and Ground Dove - Foxed $450
47 Snipe, Quail or Partridge - Foxed $850
53 Hawks and Orioles $750
57 Turnstone, Ash-colored Sandpiper, The Purre, Black-bellied Plover, Red-breasted Sandpiper (foxed) $450
62 Virginia Rail, Clapper Rail, Blue Crane, Little Egret $1400 SOLD
63 Roseate Spoonbill, American Avocet, Ruddy Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper $1900
64 Louisiana Heron, Pied Oyster catcher, Whooping Crane, Long billed Curlew $2100
66 Wood Ibis, Scarlet Ibis, Flamingo, White Ibis $2500
70 Long-tailed, Summer, Canvas-back, Red-headed Ducks; Green Teal; Mallard $2100
71 Gadwall Duck, Eider Duck, Smew, Ruddy Duck $900
73 Coot, Purple Gallinule, Gray Phalarope, Red Phalarope, Wilson’s Plover (damaged) $200
74 Black-bellied Darter, Great Northern Diver, Black-headed Gull, Little Auk $1400
75 Turkey Buzzard, Black Vulture, Raven $400
76 Great-Footed Hawk $1800
AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY (1829 EDITION)
In 1929, about 15 years after Wilson's death, a single plate volume was issued containing his 76 images. These prints average 11 x 14 inches. A good selection is listed below. Although the color on these prints is sometimes considered superior to the first, they are priced below the First Edition, which are truly "original" as they were issued by Wilson during his lifetime.
Plate 7 - Cedar Bird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Flycatcher and Purple Finch $550
Plate 14 - Brown Thrush, Golden-crowned Thrush, Cat Bird, Bay-breasted, Chestnut-sided and Mourning Warblers $550
Plate 18 - Cow Bunting, Maryland Yellow Throat, Blue Grey Flycatcher, White-eyed Flycatcher $350
Plate 21 - Canada Jay, Snow Bunting, Rusty Grackle and Purple Grackle $500
Plate 22 - Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Fox-colored Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike $350
Plate 24 - Painted Bunting, Prothonotary Warbler, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-wing Sparrow $450
Plate 25 - Mississippi Kite, Tennessee Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Prairie Warbler $500
Plate 33 - Rough-legged Falcon, Barred Owl, Short-eared Owl $650
Plate 35 - Winter Falcon, Magpie and Crow $450
Plate 38 - Barn Swallow, White-bellied Swallow, Bank Swallow $450
Plate 41 - Whip-Poor-Will $750
Plate 42 - Red Owl, Warbling Flycatcher, Purple Finch, Brown Lark $750
Plate 44 - Passenger Pigeon, Blue-mountain Warbler, Hemlock Warbler $1,600
Plate 46 - Slate-colored Hawk and Ground Dove $400
Plate 47 - Snipe, Quail or Partridge $900
Plate 53 - Black Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Female Baltimore Oriole, Female Towhee Bunting $750
Plate 59 - Spotted Sandpiper, Bartram's Sandpiper, Ring Plover, Sanderling Plover, Golden Plover, Kildeer Plover (foxed) $350
Plate 71 - Gadwall Duck, Eider Duck, Smew, Ruddy Duck $650
Plate 73 - Common Coot, Purple Gallinule, Gray Phalarope, Red Phalarope, Wilson's Plover (foxed) $325
Plate 76 - Great-footed Hawk $1,500
ALEXANDER WILSON OCTAVOS
These prints are taken from the 1832 octavo edition of Alexander Wilson's AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. They are approximately 6 x 8 inches, hand-colored copper plate engravings. These original prints have not been generally offered in the print market, but the rising prices of the Wilson folios opens an interest in these smaller images which are much less expensive. Prices range from $35 to $350 for the top images. A group of four makes an excellent presentation. About 90 percent of those listed in the First Edition are available in this smaller edition. A sampling follows:
Plate 2 - Wood Thrush, Robin, White and Red-bellied Nuthatch. Some foxing. $125
Plate 3 - Golden-winged Woodpecker, Black-throated Bunting and Blue Bird. $150
Plate 4 - Orchard Oriole (French Mat) $250
Plate 6 - Maryland Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, Summer Redbird, Indigo Bird and American Redstart. $125
Plate 7 - Cedar Bird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Flycatcher and Purple Finch. $100
Plate 8 - Brown Creeper, Golden-crested Wren, House Wren, Black-cap and Crested Titmouse and Winter Wren. $100
Plate 10 - Mockingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Towhee. $200
Plate 11 - Cardinal Grosbeak, Red Tanager (French mat) $450
Plate 16 - American Sparrow Hawk; Field, Tree, Song and Chipping Sparrows and Snow Bunting. $125
Plate 19 - Mottled Owl, Meadowlark, Black and White Creeper and Pine Creeping Warbler. $200
Plate 20 -Louisiana Tanager, Clark's Crow and Lewis's Woodpecker. Some foxing. $150
Plate 22 - Swamp, White-throated and Savannah Sparrow, Fox-colored Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike. $125
Plate 25 - Mississippi Kite, Warblers $150
Plate 26 - Carolina Parrot; Canada, Hooded and Black-cap Flycatcher. $350
Plate 29 - Ivory-billed, Pileated and Red-headed Woodpeckers. $250