AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851) and John BACHMAN (1790-1874). The Quadrupeds of North America. New York: V.G. Audubon, 1849, 1851, 1854.

3 volumes, 8vo (265 x 177 mm). Half-titles in vols. I and III (lacking in vol. II), 155 hand-colored lithographed plates by W.E. Hitchcock and R. Trembly after original drawings by John James Audubon and John Wodehouse Audubon. (Slight marginal toning, minor offsetting and occasional spotting, plate 15 bound in upside down.) PUBLISHER'S EXTRA GILT DELUXE DARK OLIVE MOROCCO elaborately decorated in gilt with central image of a wildcat derived from Plate I (American Wildcat) and cornerpieces derived from Plates II (Maryland Marmot Woodchuck Groundhog), VI (American Cross Fox), XXXI (Collared Peccary), and XLII (Common American Skunk), sides with central lozenges with title lettered in gilt, spines with raised bands, edges gilt (spines rubbed, some minor scuffing and slight wear with a few repairs to joints, soiling to endpapers, offsetting).

FIRST OCTAVO EDITION IN PUBLISHER'S DELUXE MOROCCO EXTRA GILT. Issued in response to the success of the octavo edition of The Birds of America, the first octavo edition of the Quadrupeds was published shortly after the publication of the first imperial folio edition of 1845 and 1848. In addition to the 150 plates present in the 3 imperial folio volumes, the first octavo edition includes 6 additional plates and the text from the 1854 supplement, with all the plates reduced by Audubon's sons using a camera lucida. John Woodhouse Audubon claimed credit for 18 paintings previously attributed to his father in the imperial folio edition. We trace only one other copy in this deluxe gilt binding sold at auction (see Nebenzahl sale, Christie's, 10 April 2012, lot 7). Bennett, p.5; Nissen ZBI 163.

Selections from the Library of Dr. John Talbot Gernon

AUDUBON, John James (1785-1851) and John BACHMAN (1790-1874). The Quadrupeds of North America. New York: V.G. Audubon, 1849, 1851, 1854.