NEW YORK
Be considered works of art, 3 Ornithology
(Christie ‘s/Associated Press)-this image provided by Christie’s showing of American General was Swan from a set of a rare first edition of John James Audubon’s “birds of America.” Is considered to be works of art of Ornithology, a four-volume set contains over 400 hand-colored engraved plates of all the known species of North American Audubon Society in the 19th century. Standing Volume 3 ½-foot tall because Audubon’s desire to portray birds in actual size and their natural habitats. Christie said the set expected to sell for $ 7 million to $ 10 million in an auction of 20 January.
Set, sold by the heirs of 4th Duke of Portland, will be auctioned off by Christie
Experts estimate that 200 copies of the complete first edition was produced for 11 years, from 1827-1838. Today, 120 known extant; 107 are in institutions and private hands on 13. They are made up of 435 hand-colored prints, size 479 species of birds made from copper Plates engraved by Audubon