Estate / Collection: Property from the Collection of Alistair Bradley Martin

AUDUBON, JOHN JAMES and BACHMAN, REV. JOHN
The Quadrupeds of North America. New York: V. G. Audubon, 1849-54. Three volumes, first octavo edition. Full straight grain red morocco, decoratively gilt ruled, gilt stamped bear on front board, rear board with blind stamped bear, spine lettered in gilt. 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches (26 x 16.75 cm); Vol. I: viii, 383, [1] pp., with half title, tissue guards, and 50 hand colored lithographed plates after J. J. and J. W. Audubon; Vol. II: [2], 334 pp., tissue guards and 50 hand colored lithographed plates after J. J. and J. W. Audubon; Vol. III: [4], 348, [1] pp., with half title, tissue guards, and 55 hand colored lithographed plates after J. J. and J. W. Audubon. Light wear to extremities, with a few scuffs to the rear board of vol. I, contents faintly and evenly toned, with very occasional spots, some rare light offsetting from the plates, and a few short tears and stains to tissue guards.

A finely bound and complete set of John James Audubon's definitive study of American four-footed wildlife, the most successful color-plate book to be produced in America in the 19th century. Audubon conducted the research for Quadrupeds by travelling across America, notably over the Rocky Mountains to the Great Plains (and at the advanced age of 58 years old no less). Weakened by the return journey, he was only able to complete a little over half of the drawings needed for the book, and so he left the remaining animals, mostly smaller ones, to be drawn by his eldest son, John Woodhouse. The text was mostly compiled by John Bachman, then the leading expert on American mammals. While Audubon lived to see the publication of the "elephant" folio of Quadrupeds, he died in 1851 with the quarto edition only partly completed.