1st Edition Octavos - Antique Originals

1st edition octavo Audubon prints from his miniature publication of The Birds of America feature his iconic images at a reduced scale.

After the success of his Havell edition publication, Audubon began producing a second, smaller edition of The Birds of America in order to make the publication more affordable and widely available. This miniature edition, often referred to as the 1st Royal Octavo Edition, contains 500 hand-colored lithographs measuring approximately 6 ½” x 10 ¼”. The 1st edition octavo Audubon prints were lithographed and hand-colored by the studio of J.T. Bowen in Philadelphia from 1839 to 1844. Issued alongside the printed plates, Audubon included portions of his text, the Ornithological Biography, with the Octavo edition. The result was a comprehensive, highly informative work of art that catered to both naturalists and appreciators of art alike.

For more information, check out our articles Audubon Print Collecting Guide, Audubon’s Miniature Folio – The Octavo Edition of Birds of America, and What is a Lithograph?.