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The Birds of America, Royal Octavo Edition
Following the success of his large folio, Audubon offered his birds in a miniature or Royal Octavo Edition which was lithographed and hand-colored in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during 1840-44 by J.T. Bowen. These prints are originals, and Audubon issued the prints in a series by species. They were issued in 100 parts of 5, and eventually the customer subscriber bound them into 7 volumes of books. Audubon based these prints on his folio drawings but often varied them due to the smaller images. Each plate contains a single species and in some cases he offered two plates of the same species, usually to show the young and the adult birds, as in the Brown Pelican plates. He also added some new species which had been discovered out West and had not reached him in time to be included in the folio work. These prints represent some of the finest hand-coloring work done in America and they are greatly prized by print collectors. The prints measure about six and one-half by ten inches. The prints offered below are in excellent condition. A ten-day return policy is offered on all sales.
In 1993 a book on the octavo edition titled Audubon's Great National Work, The Royal Octavo Edition of the Birds of America, was authored by Ron Tyler and published by the University of Texas Press. It is a valuable resource for octavo print collectors, but is out of print and very scarce. I have a few copies listed under "Some Interesting Natural History Collectibles."
As a note of interest, each print includes a statement of authorship in the lower left-hand corner, i.e., Drawn from Nature by J. J. Audubon, F.R.S.F.L.S. - the initials standing for Fellow, Royal Society; Fellow, Linnean Society. These were the two top natural history societies in England at the time Audubon published his bird folio. The name of J. T. Bowen, the lithographer, is printed in the lower right hand corner of the print. Often the initials of the artist who traced the drawing onto the lithographic stone are placed in the print just below the center of the drawing. Because of the volume of the work, Bowen sent a few of the plates to Endicott, an outstanding lithographer in New York, and Endicott's name appears on those plates.
We are also offering a few of the later plates. While the 1856 edition is the true second edition, the plates of this edition and several others up to 1870 are mostly identical. The "second edition" prints offered in this catalog are from all later editions and are of exceptional color and cleanliness. They have printed colors as well as hand coloring. Priced below the first edition, they represent a fine antique American print and are most collectible. With only a few exceptions, the images are identical to those of the 1840-44 edition and most of the plates are distinguished by a square or vertical background color, and in some cases light background coloring.
Listed below are samples of prints available from our inventory of First Edition and "later edition" prints. If an image your are looking for is not listed, please let me know.
FIRST EDITION
1 California Turkey Vulture $250
2 Red-headed Turkey Vulture 100
3 Black Vulture 100
4 Caracara Eagle (Crested Caracara) 250
5 Harris Buzzard 250
6 Common Buzzard (Swainson's Hawk) 300
8 Harlan's Hawk (Red-tail Hawk) 200
9 Red-shouldered Hawk 900
10 Broad-winged Hawk 300
11 Rough-legged Hawk 100
12 Golden Eagle 500 SOLD
13 Washington Sea Eagle 350
14 American Bald Eagle 1500
15 Osprey (Fish Hawk) SOLD
16 Black-shouldered Kite 100
17 Mississippi Kite `125
19 Iceland Falcon, restoration 375
21 Pigeon Falcon 200
23 Goshawk 350
24 Cooper's Hawk 350
25 Sharp-shinned Hawk 150
26 Common Harrier 125
28 Snowy Owl 3,800
30 Columbian Day Owl 150
32 Tengmalm's Night Owl (Boreal Owl) 150
35 Great Horned Owl 1800
36 Barred Owl 750
40 Screech Owl 1200
41 Chuck-will's Widow 450
42 Whip-poor-will 950
43 Night-hawk 450
44 American Swift 100
46 White-bellied Swallow, foxing 150
47 Cliff Swallow 100
48 Barn Swallow 800
49 Violet-green Swallow 200
50 Bank Swallow 150
51 Rough-winged Swallow 100
52 Fork-tailed Flycatcher - 650
54 Arkansas Flycatcher (Western Kingbird) 350
56 Tyrant Flycatcher (Eastern Kingbird) 600
57 Great-crested Flycatcher, stained 150
58 Cooper's Flycatcher 125
59 Say's Flycatcher 125
60 Rocky Mountain Flycatcher (Black Phoebe) 100
61 Short-legged Pewit Flycatcher (Alder Flycatcher) 100
63 Peewee Flycatcher (Eastern Phoebe) 150
64 Wood Peewee 125
65 Traill's Flycatcher 100
66 Least Peewee 100
67 Small-headed Flycatcher 200
68 American Redstart 400
69 Townsend's Solitaire 125
72 Canada Flycatcher (Canada Warbler) 400
73 Bonaparte's Flycatching Warbler (Canada Warbler) 600
75 Wilson's Flycatching Warbler 350
76 Yellow-crowned Warbler 300
77 Audubon's Wood Warbler (Yellow-rumped Warbler) 450
78 Black-poll Wood Warbler 350
79 Yellow-throated Wood Warbler SOLD
80 Bay-breasted Wood Warbler 350
82 Pine-creeping Wood Warbler 200
83 Hemlock Warbler (Blackburnian Warbler) 375
84 Black-throated Green Wood Warbler SOLD
88 Yellow-poll Wood Warbler (Yellow Warbler) 250
89 Rathbone's Wood Warbler (Yellow Warbler) 200
90 Yellow Red-poll Wood Warbler (Palm Warbler) 350
93 Hermit Wood Warbler 325
95 Black-throated Blue Wood Warbler (2) 350
96 Black and Yellow Wood Warbler (Magnolia Warbler) 600
97 Prairie Wood Warbler 200
98 Blue Mountain Warbler (?) 100
99 Connecticut Warbler 350
100 Macgillivray's Ground Warbler 100
102 Maryland Ground Warbler (Common Yellowthroat) 250
103 Delafield's Ground Warbler (Common Yellowthroat) 150
104 Swainson's Warbler 350
105 Worm-eating Swamp Warbler (with Black Widow Spider) 200
107 Golden-winged Swamp Warbler 200
108 Bachman's Warbler (Extinct) 900
109 Carbonated Swamp Warbler 150
110 Tennessee Swamp Warbler 150
111 Blue-winged Yellow Swamp Warbler (Blue-winged Warbler) 400
112 Orange-crowned Swamp Warbler 100
113 Nashville Swamp Warbler 250
114 Black and White Warbler SOLD
115 Brown Tree Creeper 150
116 Rock Wren 150
117 Great Carolina Wren 900
118 Bewick's Wren 100
119 Wood Wren 200
120 House Wren 400
121 Winter Wren 250
122 Parkman's Wren (Marsh Wren) 100
124 Short-billed Marsh Wren (Sedge Wren) 250
125 Crested Titmouse (Tufted Titmouse) 650
126 Black-cap Titmouse (Chickadee) 500
127 Carolina Titmouse 250
128 Hudson Bay Titmouse (Boreal Chickadee) 250
129 Chestnut-backed Titmouse (Chickadee) 125
130 Chestnut-crowned Titmouse (Bushtit) 250
131 Cuvier's Kinglet 200
132 American Golden-crested Kinglet 400
133 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 500
135 Western Bluebird SOLD
136 Arctic Bluebird (Mountain Bluebird) 250
137 American Dipper 125
138 Mockingbird 750
139 Mountain Mockingbird (Sage Thrasher) 100
140 Catbird 400
142 American Robin or Migratory Thrush 1,350
143 Varied Thrush 200
144 Wood Thrush 300
146 Hermit Thrush 125
147 Dwarf Thrush (Hermit Thrush) 200
148 Golden-crowned Wagtail (Ovenbird) 250
149 Aquatic Wood Wagtail (Northern Waterthrush) 300
150 Pipit or Titlark (Water Pipit) 100
151 Shore Lark (Horned Lark) 150
152 Lapland Lark Bunting (Longspur) 200
153 Painted Lark Bunting (Smith's Longspur) 125
155 Snow Lark Bunting 200
156 Black-throated Bunting (Dickcissel) 200
157 Townsend's Bunting 100
158 Lark Bunting (Lark Sparrow) 75
159 Bay-winged Bunting (Vesper Sparrow) 250
160 Savannah Bunting (Savannah Sparrow) 300
161 Clay-colored Bunting (Brewer's Sparrow) 100
162 Yellow-wing Bunting (Grasshopper Sparrow) 200
164 Field Bunting 250
165 Chipping Bunting (Chipping Sparrow) 200
167 Common Snow Bird (Dark-eyed Junco) 200
168 Oregon Snow Bird (Dark-eyed Junco) 300
169 Painted Bunting 1800
172 Seaside Finch (Seaside Sparrow) 325
173 Macgillivray's Shore Finch (Seaside Sparrow) 175
175 Swamp Sparrow 175
176 Bachman's Pinewood Finch (Bachman's Sparrow) 325
180 Pine Linnet (Pine Siskin) 150
182 Black-headed Goldfinch (Black-headed Siskin) 100
185 Stanley Goldfinch (Black-capped Siskin) 100
186 Fox-colored Finch (Sparrow) 200
187 Brown Finch (Fox Sparrow) 50
188 Townsend's Finch (Song Sparrow) 50
189 Song Sparrow 150
190 Martin's Finch 100
192 White-crowned Finch (White-crowned Sparrow) 250
195 Rufus-sided Towhee (Western Towhee) 350
197 Crimson-fronted Purple Finch (House Finch) 300
198 Grey-crowned Purple Finch (Gray-crowned Rosy Finch) 200
199 Common Pine Finch (Grosbeak) 300
200 Common Crossbill (Red Crossbill) 250
201 - White-wing Crossbill 350
202 Prairie Lark Finch (Lark Bunting) 100
203 Cardinal Grosbeak 2,500
204 Blue-song Grosbeak 350
205 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 350
206 Black-headed Song Grosbeak 200
208 Summer Red-bird 750
209 Scarlet Tanager, trimmed 225
210 Louisiana Tanager (Western Tanager) 425
211 Wandering Rice Bird (Bobolink) 250
212 Cowbird 100
213 Saffron-headed Marsh Blackbird (Yellow-headed Blackbird) 150
214 Red-and-white-shouldered Blackbird (Tricolored Blackbird) 200
215 Red and Black-shouldered Marsh Blackbird (Red-winged Blackbird) 150
218 Bullock's Troopial (Bullock's Oriole) 250
220 Boat-tailed Grackle 350
221 Purple Crow Blackbird (Common Grackle) 450
223 Meadowlark 950
224 Raven 900
225 American Crow 600
226 Fish Crow 250
229 Columbia Magpie or Jay (Magpie Jay) 500
230 Steller's Jay 300
231 Blue Jay SOLD
232 Ultramarine Jay (Scrub Jay) 150
234 Canada Jay (Gray Jay) 300
235 Clark's Nutcracker 200
236 Great American Shrike (Northern Shrike) 125
237 Loggerhead Shrike 100
239 Solitary Vireo (Blue-headed Vireo) 125
240 White-eyed Vireo 150
241 Warbling Vireo 225
242 Bartram's Vireo (Red-eyed Vireo) 150
243 Red-eyed Vireo 250
244 Yellow-breasted Chat 900
246 Cedar Bird (Cedar Waxwing), 650
247 White-breasted Nuthatch SOLD
249 Brown-headed Nuthatch 150
250 California Nuthatch (Pygmy Nuthatch) 125
251 Mango Hummingbird 1200
252 Anna's Hummingbird, trimmed 250
253 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1600
254 Ruff-necked Hummingbird (Rufus Hummingbird), trimmed SOLD
255 Belted Kingfisher 1200
257 Pileated Woodpecker 650 SOLD
258 Canadian Woodpecker (Hairy Woodpecker) 100
259 Phillips' Woodpecker (Hairy Woodpecker) SOLD
260 Maria's Woodpecker (Hairy Woodpecker) 100
261 Harris' Woodpecker (Hairy Woodpecker) 100
262 Hairy Woodpecker 200
263 Downy Woodpecker 1200
265 Audubon's Woodpecker (Hairy Woodpecker) 200
266 Red-breasted Woodpecker (Red-breasted Sapsucker) 200
267 Yellow-bellied Woodpecker 350
268 Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker (Black-backed Woodpecker) 250
269 Banded Three-toed Woodpecker (Three-toed Woodpecker) 125
272 Lewis's Woodpecker SOLD
273 Golden-winged Woodpecker 450
275 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 300
276 Black-billed Cuckoo 300
277 Mangrove Cuckoo 350
278 Carolina Parrot 2,850
281 Zenaida Dove 350
282 Key West Dove (Key West Quail Dove) 425
283 Ground Dove 400
284 Blue-headed Ground Dove or Pigeon (Quail Dove) 250
287 Wild Turkey SOLD
288 Turkey (Hen) 2000 SOLD
289 Common American Partridge (Northern Bobwhite) 750
290 California Partridge (California Quail) 550
291 Plumed Partridge (Mountain Quail) 300
292 Welcome Partridge (Crested Bobwhite) 100
293 Ruffed Grouse - several copies 150-650
295 Dusky Grouse (Blue Grouse) 250
297 Cock-of-the-Plains (Sage Grouse) 150
298 Sharp-tailed Grouse 250
299 Willow Ptmarigan 350
300 American Ptarmigan (Rock Ptarmigan) 250
301 Rock Ptarmigan 200
302 White-tailed Ptarmigan 300
303 Purple Gallinule 300
306 Sora Rail 150
307 Yellow-breasted Rail (Yellow Rail) 150
308 Least Water Rail (Black Rail) 200
311 Virginian Rail 200
312 Scolopaceous Courlan (Limpkin) 125
313 Whooping Crane 700
314 Whooping Crane (Sandhill Crane) 700
315 Black-bellied Plover 250
316 American Golden Plover 250
318 Rocky Mountain Plover (Mountain Plover) 100
319 Wilson's Plover 150
320 American Ring Plover 200
322 Townsend's Surfbird (Surfbird) 100
323 Turnstone (Ruddy Turnstone) 300
326 Townsend's Oystercatcher (Black Oystercatcher) 125
328 Red-breasted Sandpiper (Red Knot) 150
329 Pectoral Sandpiper 125
330 Purple Sandpiper 200
331 Buff-breasted Sandpiper 150
333 Curlew Sandpiper SOLD
334 Long-legged Sandpiper (Stilt Sandpiper) 200
335 Schinz's Sandpiper (White-rumped Sandpiper) 200
336 Semi-palmated Sandpiper 300
338 Sanderling Sandpiper 450
339 Red Phalarope 325
341 Wilson's Phalarope 150
342 Spotted Sandpiper 200
343 Solitary Sandpiper 200
344 Yellowshanks Snipe (Lesser Yellowlegs) 450
347 Willet 250
348 Great Marbled Godwit 150
349 Hudsonian Godwit SOLD
350 Wilson's Snipe (Common Snipe) 400
351 Red-breasted Snipe (Short-billed Dowitcher) 125
353 American Avocet 250
354 Black--necked Stilt 250
356 Hudsonian Curlew (Whimbrel) 200
357 Esquimaux Curlew (Eskimo Curlew) 150
359 Scarlet Ibis 450
360 White Ibis SOLD
363 Black-crowned Night Heron 750 SOLD
364 Yellow-crowned Night Heron 650
365 American Bittern 150
366 Least Bittern 200
369 Great Blue Heron 2,850
371 Reddish Egret 750
378 Barnacle Goose 150
379 Brant Goose 150
380 White-fronted Goose (Greater White-fronted Goose) 200
381 Snow Goose 350
382 Trumpeter Swan 950
383 Trumpeter Swan (young) (Tundra Swan) 450
384 American Swan 750
385 Mallard 1250
387 Brewer's Duck (Mallard/Gadwall-hybrid) 350
388 Gadwall Duck 250
389 American Widgeon 350
391 Wood Duck 2,750
393 Blue-winged Teal 450
394 Shoveller Duck 750
395 Canvas-back Duck 1,500
397 Scaup Duck (Greater Scaup) 350
398 Ring-necked Duck 300
400 Pied Duck (Labrador Duck - extinct) 300
401 Velvet Duck (White-winged Scoter) 125
402 Black or Surf Duck (Surf Scoter) 125
403 American Scoter Duck (Black Scoter) 100
404 King Duck (King Eider) 550
405 Eider Duck (Common Eider) 750
407 Western Duck (Steller's Eider) 150
408 Buffel-headed Duck $425
409 Harlequin Duck 350
410 Long-tailed Duck (Oldsquaw) 400
411 Buff-breasted Merganser (Common Merganser) 750
414 White Merganser Smew (Smew) 250
417 Florida Cormorant 350
418 Townsend's Cormorant (Brandt's cormorant) 125
419 Violet-green Cormorant (Pelagis Cormorant) 100
420 Anhinga 650
421 Frigate Pelican (Magnificent Frigatebird) 300
422 American White Pelican 1750 SOLD
423 Brown Pelican 1500 SOLD
425 Common Gannet (Northern Gannet) 300
426 Booby Gannet (Brown Booby) 325
427 Tropic Bird (White-tailed Tropicbird) 200
428 Black Skimmer or Shearwater 350
429 Cayenne Tern 450
433 Common Tern 400
434 Havell's Tern (Forster's Tern) 200
440 Noddy Tern 125
441 Fork-tailed Gull (Sabine's Gull) 125
444 Kittiwake Gull 125
445 Ivory Gull 100
446 Common or Ring-billed Gull 300
447 White-winged Silvery Gull (Iceland Gull) 125
448 Herring Gull 350
450 Great Black-backed Gull 125
451 Pomerine Jager 125
452 Richardson's Jager (Parasitic Jager) 125
453 Arctic Jager (long-tailed Jager) 250
454 Dusky Albatross (Light-mantled Albatross 125
455 Fulmar Petrel (Northern Fulmar) 125
456 Wandering Shearwater (Greater Shearwater) 125
457 Manks Shearwater (Manx Shearwater) 100
458 Dusky Shearwater (Audubon's Shearwater) 125
459 Leach's or Fork-tail Petrel (Leach's Storm Petrel) 100
460 Wilson's Petrel (Wilson's Storm Petrel) 100
461 Least Petrel - Mother Carey's Chicken 125
464 Common or Arctic Puffin (Atlantic Puffin) 1200
465 Great Auk, trimmed 200
466 Razor-billed Auk (Razorbill) 150
467 Curled-crested Phaleris (Crested Auklet) 150
468 Knobbed-billed Phaleris (Least Auklet) 150
469 Little Auk or Sea Dove (Dovekie) 150
470 Black-throated Guillemot (Ancient Murrelet) 125
471 Horned-billed Guillemot (Rhinoceros Auklet) 125
472 Long-billed Guillemot (Thick-billed Murre) 125
473 Foolish Guillemot-Murre (Common Murre) 150
474 Black Guillemot 125
475 Slender-billed Guillemot (Marbled Murrelet) 125
477 Black-throated Diver (Arctic Loon) 650
479 Crested Grebe 200
480 Red-necked Grebe 250
482 Eared Grebe 75
484 Harris' Finch (Harris' Sparrow) 200
486 Sprague's Missouri Lark (Sprague's Pipit) 150
487 Smith's Lark Bunting (Smith's Longspur) 150
488 LeConti's Sharp Tail Bunting (LeConte's Sparrow) 400
489 Missouri Meadowlark (Western Meadowlark) 350
491 Least Flycatcher 450
492 Brewer's Blackbird 150
493 Shattuck's Bunting (Clay-colored Sparrow) 100
494 Missouri Red-moustached Woodpecker (Northern Flicker) 150
495 Nuttall's Whip-poor-will (Common Poorwill) 150
496 Texan Turtle Dove (White-winged Dove) 250
498 Common Scaup Duck (Greater Scaup) 300
499 Common Troupial SOLD
500 Baird's Bunting (Baird's Sparrow) 150
SECOND EDITIONS
(Note: I have a large inventory of Second Edition Octavos. This list is a sample. Ask for the image you are collecting)
12 Golden Eagle 200
19 Iceland or Gyr Falcon 250
38 Short-eared Owl 150
43 Night Hawk 125
54 Arkansas Flycatcher 100
70 Blue-gray Flycatcher 75
96 Black and Yellow Wood Warbler 200
108 Bachman's Swamp Warbler 350
111 Blue-wing Yellow Warbler 150
115 Brown Tree Creeper 75
116 Rock Wren 125
117 Great Carolina Wren 350
120 House Wren 150
127 Carolina Titmouse 125
132 American Golden-crowned Kinglet 125
136 Arctic Blue Bird (Mountain Blue Bird) 125
138 Mockingbird 350
144 Wood Thrush 100
155 Black-throated Bunting (Dickcissel) 100
189 Song Finch 100
203 Cardinal SOLD
220 Boat-tail Grackle 125
221 Purple Crow (Blackbird) 150
228 Yellow-bellied Magpie 100
229 Columbia Magpie Jay 250
230 Steller's Jay 100
231 Blue Jay 300
241 Yellow-breasted Chat 150
243 Red-eyed Vireo 100
248 Red-bellied Nuthatch 125
254 Ruff-necked Hummingbird 200
256 Ivory-billed Woodpecker 450
257 Pileated Woodpecker 450
267 Yellow-bellied Woodpecker 125
271 Red-headed Woodpecker 150
272 Lewis' Woodpecker 125
273 Golden-winged Woodpecker 150
279 Band-tailed Dove or Pigeon 125
280 White-headed Dove 150
283 Ground Dove 100
287 Wild Turkey (Male) SOLD
293 Ruffed Grouse 300
296 Pinnated Grouse (Greater Prairie Chicken) 250
303 Purple Gallinule 150
304 Common Gallinule 125
306 Sora Rail 100
314 Whooping Crane (Sandhill Crane) 225
315 Black-bellied Plover 100
317 Kildeer Plover 100
320 Ring Plover 125
324 American Oystercatcher 150
340 Hyperborean Phalarope 75
342 Spotted Sandpiper 100
344 Yellow Shanks Snipe (Lesser Yellowlegs) 150
345 Tell-tale Godwit (Greater Yellowlegs) 150
346 Greenshank (St. Augustine) 150
347 Willet 100
348 Marbled Godwit 100
352 American Woodcock 250
355 Long-billed Curlew 400
359 Scarlet Ibis 250
370 American White Egret (Great Egret) 350
382 Trumpeter Swan 225
384 American Swan 250
386 Dusky or Black Duck 150
392 Green Wing Teal 150
395 Canvas-back Duck SOLD
397 Scaup Duck 125
398 Ring-neck Duck 125
399 Ruddy Duck 100
404 King Duck 125
405 Eider Duck 200
406 Golden-eye Duck 150
410 Long-tailed Duck (Old Squaw) 125
412 Red-breasted Merganser 200
428 American Shearwater 650
448 Herring Gull 150
465 Great Auk 200
477 Black-throated Diver 150
478 Red-throated Diver 100
485 Bell's Vireo 150
486 Sprague's Missouri Lark 75
488 LeConte's Sharp-tailed Bunting 125
490 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 125
INJURED BIRDS
The following prints are cropped close, top or bottom, but mat up nicely, especially those with cropping only at the top. Note cropped area indicated after title of the print. Subject to your approval, of course.
19 Gyr Falcon (trimmed) 125
21 Pigeon Hawk (top) 75
72 Canada Warbler (bottom) 50
73 Bonaparte's Flycatcher Warbler (Canada Flycatcher) (bottom) 50
74 Kentucky Warbler (bottom) 50
77 Audubon's Warbler (Yellow-rumped Warbler) (bottom) 50
81 Chestnut-sided Wood Warbler (crease) 75
86 Cerulean Warbler (bottom) 125
113 Nashville Warbler (bottom) 75
120 House Wren (slight crease) 100
144 Wood Thrush (bottom) 50
163 Henslow's Bunting (Henslow's Sparrow) (bottom) 50
164 Field Bunting (Field Sparrow) (bottom) 150
209 Scarlet Tanager (bottom) 250
296 Pinnated Grouse (Prairie Chicken) (top) 75
310 Clapper Rail (top) 50
341 Wilson's Phalarope (top) 35
365 American Bittern (crease) 75
385 Mallard Duck (trimmed) 275
402 Black or Surf Duck (Surf Scoter) (top) 50
415 Common Cormorant (top) 50
428 Black Skimmer (top) 75
431 Sandwich Tern (top) 125
442 Bonaparte's Gull (top) 50
459 Leach's Petrel (Leach's Storm Petrel) (top) 50
465 Greater Auk (top) 150
490 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (bottom) 50