ID 411463
Lot 55 | Wild Turkey
Estimate value
$ 20 000 – 30 000
A handsome example of the life-size wild turkey from Audubon's masterpiece. Originally, The Birds of America was planned to be issued in eighty parts of five plates each, for a total of 400 plates. Eventually, the final count increased to 435 plates in 87 parts as Audubon identified new species from western expeditions to various places including Texas and Oregon. The towering format of the elephant folio-size work was dictated by Audubon's long-standing determination that each species be shown life-size, from the wild turkey down to the hummingbird—even if the former had to curve its neck in an elegant arabesque. Along the way, Audubon was sometimes encouraged to scale down his drawings for print, but he never deviated. His commitment to verisimilitude was no mere gimmickry but grounded in a profound connection with the natural world inseparable from his work. As the very first plate in this extraordinary work, the Turkey is particularly difficult to find in attractive condition. The present print is in the third state, after Havell took over the project from Lizars and re-touched this print with aquatint. The first, Lizars issue has no aquatint. This third variant renames the bird "Wild Turkey" as opposed to "Great American Cock Male" in the first two. Low, Guide to Audubon's Birds, p. 28.
Hand-colored copperplate engraving with aquatint, 965 x 647mm. Some surface soiling, few pale stains to left edge. Two repaired closed tears at lower edge, one encroaching into ground, marginal chipping and reinforcement along left edge. Tipped to mount and framed.
Address of auction |
CHRISTIE'S 8 King Street, St. James's SW1Y 6QT London United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Preview |
| |
Phone | +44 (0)20 7839 9060 | |
Buyer Premium | see on Website | |
Conditions of purchase | Conditions of purchase |
Frequently asked questions
First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.