Main Library
Lobby Display Case & Second Floor Display Case
John James Audubon is most well-known for his double elephant folio editions of The Birds of America, the four-volume set published between 1827 and 1838 on paper sized approximately 26 1/4 x 39 1/2 inches, the largest sheets available at the time.[1]
Audubon produced a smaller and more affordable seven volume edition with the lithographer J. T. Bowen in 1844.[2] After Audubon died in 1851, his family authorized several more editions in the smaller format, known as the royal octavo, including George Lockwood’s version that is on display.[3]
Lockwood printed eight volumes instead of seven and used as many as he could of the original stereotype and stone plates made for the 1840 and 1850 editions. The Lockwood edition is the last octavo edition printed from the original stones as they were destroyed sometime after 1870 in a warehouse fire in Philadelphia. [4]
The Lockwood edition of The Birds of America is part of the Rare Book Collection of the Library’s Archives and Special Collections.
[1] From Friends of the Audubon: https://friendsofaudubon.org/2020/07/the-double-elephant-folio-where-did-it-come-from/
[2] From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birds_of_America
[3] From Christie’s Auction: https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5963347 Cites Ayer/Zimmer pp.25-26; Nissen IVB 52; Wood p. 209.
[4] From Christie’s Auction: https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5963347 Cites Ayer/Zimmer pp.25-26; Nissen IVB 52; Wood p. 209.
The Cambridge Room 