John James Audubon
QUADRUPEDS OF NORTH AMERICA
3 VOLUMES - 1854, 1854, 1854

Overall this set is in excellent condition in terms of binding, text and plates.  All plates have a tissue guard, although some of the guards have minor wear (creasing, short tears, hole or thin spot) and a few have more substantial issues in terms of losses or creasing etc.  The guards have done a very good job protecting the plates and text.  There is some offsetting of plates to the text page opposite (even through the tissue guards) but almost no offsetting from text onto the plates.  Hand-coloring on the plates is generally excellent.  SOLD

Each volume is inscribed on the half-title by John W. Audubon to a Mr. O. B. Graham (Ogilvie Blair Graham, an Irish merchant who apparently made a fortune in New Orleans before returning to Ireland circa 1860).  Each volume also includes Graham's bookplate.

The books are bound in full leather with gilt decoration (backs and fronts the same).	Spines are somewhat lighter in color.
All three edges are gilded.	Title page of Volume 1. Year reads "M DCCC LIV."  All books are dated 1854.
PL 1 Common American Wildcat	PL 6 American Cross Fox
PL 17 Cat Squirrel.	PL 21 Gray Fox.
PL 42 Common American Skunk	PL 56 American Bison
Example of offsetting onto a text page	PL 57 American Bison
PL 62 American Elk - Wapiti Deer	PL 66 Opossum
PL 71 Prairie Wolf	PL 73 Rocky Mountain Sheep
PL 77 Antelope	PL 81 Common American Deer (Fawn)
PL 90 Common Mouse. One of the most prominent cases of offset onto tissue.	Even though the tissue is very spotty, the offsetting to the text is not bad.
PL 101 The Jaguar	PL 128 Rocky Mountain Goat
PL 136 Common or Virginian Deer	PL 137 Sea Otter
PL 141 Black Bear	PL 146 American Armadillo

Last updated 11.14.09