AUDUBON, JOHN JAMES. 1785-1851; AND JOHN BACHMAN. 1790-1874.

The Quadrupeds of North America. New York: V.G. Audubon, 1849-1854.

The Quadrupeds of North America. New York: V.G. Audubon, 1849-1854.
3 volumes. Large 8vo (260 x 179 mm). 155 hand-finished color lithographed plates by J.T. Bowen from drawings on stone by W. E. Hitchcock and R. Trembley, after J.J. and J.W. Audubon. Contemporary half-morocco over marbled paper boards, edges gilt, modern custom red morocco boxes. Volume III rebacked with original spine laid down, joints on other volumes starting, rubbed, typical browning and foxing.

FIRST OCTAVO EDITION OF AUDUBON'S FINAL GREAT NATURAL HISTORY WORK, with plates and descriptions of the quadrupeds of the United States including Texas, California and Oregon, as well as parts of Mexico, the British and Russian possessions and Arctic regions. Audubon's collaborator on the Quadrupeds was the naturalist and Lutheran clergyman John Bachman who had studied quadrupeds since he was a young man and was a recognized authority on the subject in the United States. The Quadrupeds was first published in a folio format, issued in response to the success of a similar edition of The Birds of America. It was prepared for the press and published by Audubon's sons, John W. and Victor, shortly after their father's death in January, 1851. Audubon, himself, because of declining health, had only been able to sketch about half of the animals included in the final publication — the remainder being drawn by John W., with most of the scientific details in the text written by Bachman. With the completion of the third volume in 1854 the quartet of natural history works as envisaged by Audubon was complete. Bennett, p 5; Nissen ZBI 163; Reese Stamped With A National Character 38; Sabin 2638; Wood p 208.