American Ornithology - photo 1

American Ornithology

Starting price
$ 100
Auction dateClassic
19.10.2023 10:00UTC -04:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
USA, New York
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Archive
ID 1032782
Lot 130 | American Ornithology
Alexander WILSON (1766-1813). American Ornithology; or, The Natural History of the Birds of the United States. Philadelphia: Bradford and Inskeep, 1808-1813, and Samuel F. Bradford, 1824-1825.

"The first truly great American ornithology and also the first truly outstanding American color plate book of any type" (Bennett). The present lot is a mixed edition, containing first editions of volumes 1-7 (being the second issue of volume one) and reissues of volumes 8-9. While his fame has been eclipsed by that of Audubon, Wilson was truly the "father of American ornithology," and his work represents the first attempt to systematically describe and depict the various birds of the United States from first-hand observation. He traveled extensively in the American wilderness, caught and studied 320 different birds, including several that had not previously been known, and taught himself the art of drawing. He personally supervised the engraving of the plates, assisted in the coloring, wrote the descriptions, and even acted as his own salesman, peddling the work from door to door. Wilson died before the final volumes were published, and the text of the work was completed from his notes by George Ord, who also contributed a lengthy biography of Wilson to the final volume. Anker 533 ("the classical work of American ornithological literature"); Bennett, p. 114; Fine Bird Books, p. 114 ("the first American bird book with coloured plates published in America"); Nissen IVB 992; Sabin 104597; Stamped with a National Character 3 ("the first American work to use color plates to convey scientific information").

Nine volumes, folio (340 x 255mm). 76 hand-colored engraved plates by Alexander Lawson, George Murray, John G. Warnicke, and Benjamin Tanner after Wilson (browning and foxing, heaviest on vols. 1 and 6, offsetting from plates to text, vol. 3 with marginal chips/repairs to a few leaves and one repaired tear to pl. 20, a few plates just shaved). 19th-century half roan over marbled boards (rubbed, minor peeling, few hinges repaired, chip from head of vol. 1 spine). Provenance: a few instances of contemporary marginalia including some captioning of engraved plates.
Artist:Alexander Wilson (1766 - 1813)
Place of origin:USA
Category:Printed book
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
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