[Natural History] Audubon, John James. Ornithological Biography, Or An Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America...

Edinburgh, London, etc.: Adam & Charles Black, 1831-49. In five volumes. First edition. 8vo. With numerous in-text woodcut illustrations. Prospectus for the Birds of America bound into rear of first volume. Vols. I-III bound to style in three-quarter brown calf over period cloth-covered boards, black calf spine labels, stamped in gilt, rubbing to cloth; Vols. IV and V in original cloth-covered boards, original printed spine labels, rebacked with original spines laid down, wear to spines, boards unevenly faded; all edges trimmed; Vols. IV and V with book-plate of Geo. A. Zabriskie and Thomas Parkin on front paste-downs, scattered spotting to text of same volumes. Ayer 20; Ellis 96 & 100; Zimmer 20

First edition of the separately-issued text for the elephant folio of John James Audubon's Birds of America, complete with the rare Prospectus for the elephant folio edition.

As early as November 1826, Audubon had begun thinking about the text which should accompany his engraved illustrations of birds, and noted in his journal, "I shall publish the letterpress in a separate book, at the same time with the illustrations and shall accompany the descriptions of the birds with many anecdotes and accounts of localities connected with the birds themselves..." (M.R. Audubon, Audubon and His Journals, 1897, Vol. I, p. 163). He made the decision to publish the letterpress separately (and give it at no cost to the subscribers of the plate volumes) because, according to British copyright law, had the letterpress accompanied the engravings, Audubon would have been obliged to deposit a copy of the work in each of the nine copyright libraries in the United Kingdom. This would have placed a strain on the economics of the production of the book.

Work on the text began towards the end of 1830, just as Havell was nearing the completion of his first 100 engravings, and Audubon finished the final and fifth volume nearly nine years later.

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Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

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[Natural History] Audubon, John James. Ornithological Biography, Or An Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America...

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