Detail from the Alecto restrike of Audubon's 
Plate 1 Wild Turkey - Male

Color was to remain a thorn in Audubon's side.  He complained regularly to Havell about uneven quality and inconsistencies in the coloring of the prints. Although these problems are entirely understandable given the huge scope of the original project (more than 80,000 large folio prints handcolored over the course of twelve years), the small scale and limited timeframe of the restrike project afforded an opportunity for the Museum to pursue Audubon's ideal, rather than to simply imitate his end result. In that respect, the Alecto restrikes can be seen as the culmination of Audubon's original dream, a select group of bird prints of the size and quality that Audubon wished to achieve.

These prints are not reproductions -- they are made using the original copper plates (etched and engraved by Robert Havell and W. H. Lizars in the 1820s and 30s) for the original Double Elephant Folio of THE BIRDS OF AMERICA -- thus the prints are restrikes.

Plate 1 Wild Turkey - Male.  Audubon loved this iconic image enough to make it the first plate of the first part of the Double Elephant Folio. Audubon's personal seal showed a simplified version of the turkey with the legend, "America My Country."  Originally the work of W. H. Lizars, Robert Havell reworked the copper plate to add aquatint. Audubon was highly critical of the brightly-painted Lizars prints; the Havell colors tend to be more muted in tone.  The Alecto colors follow the original painting.  $7,500.

Plate 6 Wild Turkey - Female & Young.  An ode to motherhood.  Guarded by the bulk of their mother, a brood of turkey chicks hunt, preen, and snack their way through the landscape. This plate was originally engraved by W. H. Lizars, then retouched by Robert Havell. The restrike's use of multi-colored ink enhances the impact by making the birds stand out more against the background.  An extraordinary work of art.  SOLD

Plate 121 Snowy Owl.  The glow of moonlight in this night-time scene helps capture the mystery of these enormous and beautiful owls.  The Havell print is variously colored, sometimes with grey above the clouds, sometimes with midnight blue.  This version opts for blue.  Also noteworthy is the yellow in the eyes of the owl.  On Havells, this color is apt to fade if the print is not protected from light.  SOLD

Plate 202 Canada Goose.  A female goose sits on a nest while her mate stands guard. A beautiful and sharp rendering of our most common goose.  This fine study of the bird is rendered in shades of greys, browns, and greens that aptly captures the goose in its preferred habitat.  $5,000.

Plate 221 Mallard Duck. One of Audubon's most important and best loved images, this pond scene is enhanced by yellow flowers and the color accents in the male's bill and plumage.  The mallard is the best-known of the North American wild ducks, and can now be found throughout the United States. Its range was less widespread in Audubon's time.  The colors on this print have been matched closely to Audubon's original painting.  SOLD

Plate 281 Great White Heron.  This beautiful image shows the white phase of the Great Blue Heron. The white birds are generally larger than the typical Great Blue, making this subspecies our largest wading bird.  In the United States, the white bird is found only in southern Florida. With bird silouetted against a dramatic sky, and with Key West in the background, this image is popular with Floridians and those who love shore birds.  $6,000.