When it comes to rare books, there are a lot of expensive examples that might be more famous than John James Audubon’s Birds of America. However, while other books have the glory, Audubon’s book is unique in that it is one of the most beautiful pieces of work ever put to print while ALSO being one of the most important scientific documents of the 1800’s (and an invaluable resource even today). This unique combination of beauty, science, and history is why a complete version of Audubon’s Birds of America auctioned for $10 million dollars at Sotheby’s in London.
“Audubon’s Birds holds a special place in the rare book market for several reasons,” said Heather O’Donnell, a specialist with New York-based Bauman Rare Books. “The book is a major original contribution to the study of natural history in the New World. It’s also one of the most visually stunning books in the history of print: The scale of the images, the originality of each composition, the brilliance of the hand coloring.”
There’s also the added appeal of the story behind Audubon’s uniquely American story, added O’Donnell. “No one can rival John James Audubon for frontier glamor. The story of his lonely journey through the American wilderness and his struggle to record what he saw there gives the Birds a resonance that no other book can match.”
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