Descripción
"3 volumes, imperial folio (27 1/4 x 21 1/4 in.; 69.2 x 54 cm). 3 lithographed title-pages and 3 letterpress contents leaves, 150 lithographed plates by J. T. Bowen after John James and James Woodhouse Audubon, backgrounds after Victor Gifford Audubon, handcolored and heightened with gum arabic; title-pages and contents leaves foxed and creased, with small stain in lower right corners, inner margin of vol. 3 title tearing away from text block, neat repairs to tears (most 1-2 in., one approximately 6 in.) on 7 plates, light marginal foxing or mottling to about 9 plates, 3 plates toned (one on verso rather than recto), pl. 65 (Little Harvest Mouse) creased the length of the plate, dark stain in lower right corner of pl. 89 (Say's Squirrel). Modern half burgundy morocco over grey cloth, spines in 6 compartments gilt, morocco presentation label on front cover of vol. 1; extremities a bit worn with some minor losses and tears, lower board of vol. 3 scratched. [Together with]: 3 text volumes, 8vo (11 x 7 1/4 in.; 27.9 x 18.4 cm). New York: J. J. Audubon, 1856 (in roman numerals)-V. G. Audubon, 1851 (in roman numerals). Title-page for vol. 3 supplied with a vol. 1 title-page with volume number altered in ink to read "III,"half-title in vol. 1 only, list of subscribers in vol. 1 continued into vol. 2; half-title slightly trimmed, lacks the 5 supplemental handcolored lithographed plates, many leaves roughly opened (some left unopened), dampstaining in vol. 1, quires 8-48 progressively more pronounced, vol. 2 title and pp. 1-3 guarded, tissue repair to top margin of p. 3, text block cracked but intact between pp. 6-7, vol. 3 title tipped in with first text leaf. Grey cloth by Knowlton dated 1962, smooth spines lettered gilt. FIRST EDITION OF THE ONE OF THE GREATEST COLORPLATE BOOKS PRODUCED ENTIRELY IN AMERICA IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY V. G. AUDUBON in the second text volume: "To Dr. A. V. Williams | with the best wishes of his | obliged friend | V. G. Audubon." After an unsuccessful attempt to secure federal funding for his "Great Western Journey," Audubon determined that the commercial potential of the Quadrupeds was sufficient to risk funding the expedition himself. "To render [the Quadrupeds] more complete, I will leave the comforts of my home and beloved family, bound to the Rocky Mountains … I cannot tell how long I may be absent, but look to return loaded up knowledge, new and abundant specimens on the shot and not from stuffed museums' moth-eaten remains. I am told that I am too old to undertake such a long and arduous journey, but … having the will, I will no doubt safely bear or even surmount the difficulties" (letter to C. Bonaparte, February, 1843, quoted by Rhodes). To his collaborator the Rev. James Bachman, he exclaimed "I am growing old, but what of this? My spirits are as enthusiastical as ever, my legs full able to carry my body for ten years to come, and in about two of these I expect the illustrations out, and ere the following twelve months have elapsed, their histories studied, their descriptions carefully prepared and the book printed!" (Streshinsky, Audubon: Life and Art in the American Wilderness, p. 332). It was to be J.J. Audubon's last major endeavor. Returning home in late fall of 1843 aged 58 and in declining health, he delegated many of the smaller mammals to his son John Woodhouse to draw and the backgrounds to his youngest, Victor Gifford, who also supervised the printing and publication. Despite Audubon's optimistic timeline for the completed work, it took the family five years to publish 150 plates in thirty parts. The first proofs were ready in 1842, but Audubon was Audubon's lithographer J.T. Bowen was immersed in the production of the octavo set of The Birds of America. The last part of the octavo Birds appeared in May, 1844, and publication of the folio Quadrupeds began immediately, with the first number being issued in January, 1845 and the first volume completed ". N° de ref. del artículo 65ERM0162
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