Have you ever seen a book worth millions of dollars? One of the most famous is “Audubon Birds of America Book” by the renowned naturalist and painter John James Audubon. Only a handful of complete copies exist today, making it one of the world’s most precious books.
What Is The Birds of America?
The Birds of America was a giant book produced in the 1800s that contained 435 life-sized illustrations of every bird species known in the United States. All of the pictures were handmade by John James Audubon using through paintings. More than ten years were spent by Audubon exploring North America’s birding landscape. He would sketch and paint the birds, trying to capture their true:
- Colors
- Textures
- Movements as accurately as possible
In 1838 Audubon Birds of America Book was an amazing achievement. When unfolded, it was an astounding 39 inches tall and 28 inches broad. It was bigger than any book that had before been published. The massive “double elephant” size allowed Audubon to depict the birds at their full scale. For example, the California condor illustration stretched 49 inches from wingtip to wingtip!
Each illustration also featured beautiful landscape scenes showing the typical environments where those bird species lived and nested.
Only 200 Complete Sets Were Produced
The Birds of America proved extremely challenging during the 1820s and 1830s. The book utilized a pioneering technique called intaglio printmaking with copper engraving plates. You know what? Audubon employed a team of skilled engravers and colorists at great cost to hand-print and paint each page.
In total, only around 200 complete sets of the double-elephant folio edition of The Birds of America were ever produced over the years it took to finish the project. Each set took four years of labor-intensive work to manufacture at the time. For such a scarce and unique item, demand was extremely limited outside of the wealthiest collectors, museums, and universities. Audubon himself struggled to sell enough copies during his lifetime to recoup the immense costs involved.
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A Cultural Treasure and Invaluable Record
Audubon’s Birds of America, despite its initial lack of economic success, came to be appreciated as a precious cultural asset and a masterpiece of natural science depiction. It offered an unmatched record of bird species found in America at a level that amazed observers.
Numerous species shown by Audubon, such as the passenger pigeon and Carolina parakeet, are now extinct. Because of this, the book is among the few surviving visual recordings of extinct species that we have.
Beyond its scientific value, The Birds of America demonstrated Audubon’s ambition and ability to a degree never seen before. The naturalist was both an artist and adventurer, traveling far and wide to create his epic masterwork.
World’s Most Valuable Printed Book
In the early 2000s, the Birds of America first edition folios had become the obsession of ultra-wealthy collectors. The few complete copies that were in private hands began to fetch astounding record prices at auction, and the prices continued to rise. One of the most expensive printed books sold at auction was set in 2000 when a copy sold for $8.8 million at Sotheby’s.
When another Birds of America folio was bought by a rich collector, however, in 2010, it broke that record at $11.5 million. The price went up even further in 2020 when a rebound copy at Christie’s sold for $9.6 million. For book collectors, The Birds of America is the most valuable printed book in the world because of these unbelievable statistics, which range from $8 to $12 million.
Where Are the Surviving Copies Today?
So, where exactly did the 200 original complete sets of The Birds of America end up over the past two centuries?
Here’s where many of the most famous and valuable copies are available today:
The Haskell Copy (Private Collector)
In 2010, this copy broke records when it sold for a record $11.5 million. Most importantly, making it the most valuable printed book ever bought at the time. The current owner is an anonymous private collector.
The Waldersee Copy (Yale University)
Among the best copies ever made because of its exceptionally vivid and vibrant colors. But it’s kept at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale.
The Duke of Portland Copy (Manchester, England)
Currently owned by the Naturalists’ Trust charity and on display at the Manchester Museum. It was originally part of the Duke of Portland’s 19th-century collection.
The Harvard Copy (Harvard University)
Purchased by Harvard in 1851, one of the earlier institutional copies. On display at the university’s Museum of Natural History.
The Obama Copy (Private Collector)
This copy was most recently sold by Christie’s auction house in 2020 for $9.6 million to an anonymous buyer.
The Bien Copy (Boston Athenæum)
Originally owned by the eccentric author and book collector J. Morgan Sheid, now held by the Boston Athenæum public library.
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The New York Public Library Copy (New York Public Library)
One of the best-preserved copies, it recently underwent conservation efforts to stabilize the book’s fragile, aged pages. Many of these copies have extensive documentation tracing their unique provenance and history of past ownership over the centuries. Records indicate that around 120 of the original 200 complete sets survive today scattered across institutions and private collections worldwide.
The vast majority now permanently reside in the collections of major museums, libraries, and universities allowing public access and viewing. However, a prized few copies remain in anonymous private hands changing at astronomical sums.
Wrap Up
In recent years, there has been intense competition among billionaires, moguls, and other wealthy individuals and organizations to acquire these highly sought-after books. Welcome to Arader Books, your destination for incredible Audubon Birds of America books and more. Our collection is authentic, and our dedicated staff is here to ensure you have a fantastic experience with us.
