print room: John James Audubon

The Birds of America; from Original Drawings
Reissued by J. W. Audubon
     folio prints from the Bien Edition, 1858-1860

Bien Edition takes its name from printer Julius Bien of New York, a German immigrant who was among the pioneers in developing chromolithography (an early form of color printing) in the United States.  The project was conceived by John Woodhouse Audubon, the younger of the two Audubon sons, and was intended to help restore the family's ailing finances. John intended a full reissue of the 435 images of the Double Elephant Folio to include 44 parts, the typical part consisting of seven sheets of paper with ten images.  Poor economic conditions brought on by the Civil War forced a discontinuation of the project in 1860 after 15 parts had been issued.  It is not known how many complete or almost complete sets were issued, but most experts estimate the number to be between 75 and 100.

We have a large selection of Bien Edition prints. Most of our prints are from a folio formerly owned by the public library of Walpole, Massachusetts.  These prints have fresh color and full margins in excess of 39 x 26 inches. Please contact us for a detailed condition report or additional photos. 

Click the bird name for a photo (if available online). Because of the difficulties involved in photographing large prints, shadow and uneven lighting may affect some photos.  Bien Edition plate numbers are supposed to match the plate numbers in the octavo edition, but the printer made many mistakes, including using some plate numbers more than once.  We show the plate numbers as they are found on the prints.  Looking for a print that is listed as sold? Please inquire --  we may be able to find that print for you.

PHOTOS FOR DOUBLES (TWO BIRD IMAGES ON ONE SHEET) DO NOT SHOW BOTH IMAGES EQUALLY WELL.  WE CAN SEND MORE PHOTOS UPON REQUEST.  

Plate  #

Click on active links for a photo. 
Additional photos may be available upon request.

 Price  / Availability.

3

Black Vulture or Carrion Crow

SOLD

7

Red-tailed Hawk

$5,000

  White-headed_Eagle_whole.jpg (237444 bytes)
 #14  WHITE-HEADED EAGLE.  The national symbol gets an enhanced background in the Bien Edition. 
Ruffed_Grouse_whole.jpg (239323 bytes)

#293 RUFFED GROUSE.  One of the great game bird prints.  Outstanding color. 

14

White headed Eagle.  

$6,500

18

Swallow-tailed Hawk

SOLD

 

Bien_GyrFalcon_whole.JPG (172006 bytes)
#19 Iceland or Jer Falcon.  
One of the most dramatic images in Audubon. SOLD

Red-tailed_Hawk.jpg (270482 bytes)
#7 Red-tailed Hawk.  Classic image of two hawks fighting over a wounded rabbit.

19

Iceland or Jer Falcon

SOLD

20

Great-footed Hawk

SOLD

22

American Sparrow Hawk

SOLD  

34

Barn Owl

SOLD  

43

Night Hawk

SOLD

44/46

American Swift / White-bellied Swallow

SOLD

 

Purple_Martin_whole.jpg (422151 bytes)

#45. PURPLE MARTIN.  Four birds with calabash.

Barn_Owl2_whole.jpg (181698 bytes)
#34 BARN OWL. Originally a nighttime scene, Bien image works well with daytime sky.  See detail photo. SOLD

45

Purple Martin

$4,000

53/56

Forked-tailed Flycatcher/Tyrant Fly-catcher

SOLD  

54/55

Pipiry Flycatcher / Arkansaw, Swallow Tail, & Say's Flycatcher

SOLD.

 

Bien_warblers.JPG (106939 bytes)
#104  SWAINSON'S WARBLER / 
#108  BACHMAN'S WARBLER. 
With botanicals by Maria Martin. SOLD

Bien_hummers.JPG (93902 bytes)
#252  COLUMBIAN HUMMING BIRD /  
#251  MANGO HUMMING BIRD.
More lovely botanicals. 

104/108

Swainson's Warbler/Bachman's Warbler

SOLD

118/120

Bewick's Wren / House Wren

SOLD

127/128

Carolina Titmouse / Hudson's Bay Titmouse

SOLD

138

Mocking Bird

SOLD

  

Mockingbird.jpg (667333 bytes)
#138 MOCKING BIRD. Controversial image - 
mockingbirds defend nest against a rattler. SOLD

YB_Chat_whole.jpg (145634 bytes)
#244 YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.  Image popular for its beautiful botanical.

141

Ferruginous Thrush

SOLD  

144/144

Wood Thrush / Hermit Thrush

SOLD

163/177

Henslow's Bunting / Lincoln Finch

SOLD

189/195

Song Sparrow / Towhe Bunting

SOLD  

191/192

White throated Sparrow / White-crowned Sparrow

SOLD

200

Common Crossbill

SOLD

  

Blue_Grosbeak_whole.jpg (240635 bytes)
#204  BLUE GROSBEAK.  Handsome portrait of this southern bird.

Rose-breasted_Grosbeak_whole.jpg (166909 bytes)
#205  ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK.  Beautiful hand coloring on the breast of the male bird.

204

Blue Grosbeak

$3,800

205

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

$5,000.

  

Baltimore_Oriole_whole.jpg (220136 bytes)
#217 BALTIMORE ORIOLE. Lovely image with hang nest in a blooming tulip poplar.  Always popular.

BT_Grackle_Whole.jpg (194792 bytes)
#220  BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE.  Male and female birds in a tree festooned with moss.

217

Baltimore Oriole

$6,500.

220

Boat-tailed Grackle

$5,000.

221

Purple Grakle or Common Crow Blackbird

SOLD

225

American Crow

$6,500.

231

Blue Jay

SOLD

  

American_Crow_whole.jpg (253445 bytes)
#225 AMERICAN CROW.  The big and the small: portrait of one of our most common birds, its size contrasted with a tiny hummingbird nest. 

Bien_blujay_whole.jpg (380566 bytes)
#231  BLUE JAY.  Three rascally jays 
having  eggs for breakfast. Classic Audubon SOLD

244

Yellow-breasted chat

$4,800.

248

Black Skimmer or Shearwater

SOLD

251/252

Mango Humming Bird / Columbian Humming Bird

$3,800
  

Belted_KF_whole2.jpg (150108 bytes)
#255  BELTED KINGFISHER.  A busy day on the river for these fishers three. SOLD

Pileated_WP.jpg (576912 bytes)
#257 PILEATED WOODPECKER.  Impressive woodpecker second in size only to the Ivory-Billed. SOLD

255

Belted Kingfisher

SOLD

257

Pileated Woodpecker

SOLD

273

Golden-winged Woodpecker

SOLD

275

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

SOLD

  

Goldenwinged_WP_whole.jpg (224970 bytes)
#273 GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER.  The common flicker - a study in red and yellow, this dynamic composition captures this beautiful bird. SOLD

Bien_parrot_whole.JPG (123533 bytes)
#278  CAROLINA PARROT.  One of Audubon's best loved images - parrots having a party.  SOLD

278

Carolina Parrot

SOLD

280

White Headed Pigeon

$5,500.

  

Bien_pigeon_whole.jpg (333682 bytes)
#280 WHITE HEADED PIGEON.  Mated pair in a Florida setting, Geiger tree painted in Key West.

Double_Sandpipers.jpg (55889 bytes)
#331  LITTLE SANDPIPER /  
#332 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER.  
Beautiful double vertical in land and seascapes.

288

Fish Hawk or Osprey

SOLD

289

Virginian Partridge  - possible proof print 

$9,750.

293

Ruffed Grouse

$9,000.

296

Pinnated Grouse

$9,750.

 

Pinnated_Grous.jpg (680169 bytes)
#296  PINNATED GROUSE.  The western Prairie Chicken in a beautiful landscape, one of the few painted by Audubon himself.  

 

Virginia_Partridge2_whole.jpg (204392 bytes)
#289  VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. The subject of this exciting print is the prey (bobwhite quail).  One of Audubon's most dynamic works.  This print (which was not part of the Walpole set) lacks the part number (upper left), and has the word "Plate" appearing by itself (without the number) at upper right.  This may be an early plate that was later used to complete a set. See Mallard below for more information.

331/331

Buff breasted Sandpiper / Little Sandpiper

$1,500.

358

Glossy Ibis

SOLD

 

Night_Heron.jpg (270588 bytes)
#363   NIGHT-HERON, OR QUA BIRD.  Herons and frog against background of atamasco lilies. 

Green_Heron.jpg (175486 bytes)
#367 GREEN HERON. Adult male pursues luna moth with another young heron at right. 

363

Night Heron, or Qua bird

$8,500.

364

Yellow-crowned Heron

$8,500.

367

Green Heron

$6,000.

 

Bien_GWH_whole.JPG (581918 bytes)
#368 GREAT WHITE HERON. With a sweeping view of 
Key West, Florida by George Lehman. SOLD

Bien_BluHeron_whole.JPG (119916 bytes)
#372  BLUE CRANE OR HERON. Mature bird -- with white immature in distance  on a South Carolina plantation. SOLD

368

Great White Heron

SOLD

371

Reddish Egret

$10,000.

372

Blue Crane or Heron

SOLD

  

Yllw-crwnd_Night_Heron_whole.jpg (151825 bytes)
#364  YELLOW-CROWNED HERON
Large birds against a sunset sky. Beautiful!

Bien_Flamingo2_whole.jpg (320921 bytes)
#375  AMERICAN FLAMINGO
Life-sized bird with coral plumage - 
a much loved and well-known image.

375

American Flamingo

$28,000

  

Bien_reddish_egret_whole.jpg (594521 bytes)
#371  REDDISH EGRET.  With colors nothing short of brilliant!

 

Mallard.jpg (216410 bytes)
#385  MALLARD. Top image of 
our most recognized duck. Rich colors. This print is somewhat unusual in that the part number (upper left) and the numbers following the word "Plate" appear to have been added by the publisher using a stamp.  This plate was part of the Walpole MA library set which included several plates of this type.  See Virginia Partridge above for an example that is not from the Walpole set.

380

White-fronted Goose

SOLD

385

Mallard Duck - possible proof print

$9,000

  

Bien_WoodDuck_whole.JPG (118817 bytes)
391. SUMMER OR WOOD DUCK.  Tranquil family grouping of a beautiful duck.  SOLD

Bien_pelican_whole.JPG (118327 bytes)
#423  BROWN PELICAN. This  image very popular with those who know and love this bird.

391

Summer or Wood Duck

SOLD

405

Eider Duck

SOLD

423

Brown Pelican

$9,000.

434/434

Sandwich Tern / Arctic Tern  This unusual double pairs a vertical and a horizontal image.

SOLD

454/466

Puffin / Razor billed Auk

SOLD

465

Great Auk

SOLD

For background information and articles on the Bien Edition, visit the Bien area of our study

see our Havell Edition prints

back to print room entrance


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Last updated 05.05.10