collecting Audubon prints: A simplified overview

John James Audubon created a series of pictures of birds, known as The
Birds of America, originally published in the mid 19th century. There
were 435 different images, each showing a bird or birds fully
life-sized, which is why you see some birds, like the flamingo, in what
seem to be contorted poses. He was trying to fit a tremendous
bird onto a page approximately 29" X 40". The paper size is
referred to as "Double Elephant" and that name is often applied
to various Audubon prints. It refers to the large format and does not
necessarily imply anything about the age or quality of the print..

The original hand-colored engravings are very valuable and beautiful as
well. They are in the collections of many famous museums and
libraries. Unlike modern limited-edition prints, the
original Audubon prints were not "signed and numbered". They do
include two numbers on each print, but these are part of a catalogue
system, with no connection to edition size.

Most of the original images were engraved by the workshop of Robert
Havell and hand colored under his supervision. Almost all
reproductions of Audubon's bird pictures include Havell's name at the
bottom, along with Audubon's. That includes posters, calendar
tops, pages from books, and "art prints" of varying quality and
value. JUST BECAUSE IT SAYS HAVELL, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY 150 YEARS
OLD. Any copyright on these images has long expired, so there is
nothing unscrupulous about reproducing them.

Audubon's birds have been reproduced in facsimile (full sized) editions
several times, either partially, such as Alecto, Princeton, or Leipzig
editions, or in full, such as the Amsterdam edition or the Abbeville
Press. M. Bernard Loates has also produced a series of limited
edition prints based on Audubon's works, but they are sometimes
altered slightly and they do not include the attributing language
usually seen at the bottom, with no reference to Audubon or
Havell. Still, they are of very good quality and can often be
bought at bargain prices on okay.

The distinguishing factor of the original work and its best
reproductions is that the birds are life-sized. When you look at
a picture that someone thinks may be an "original" Audubon print, the
first and easiest test is to see if the bird is life-sized.
Because many of the prints were produced with wide margins that may
have been trimmed, "sheet size" may or may not help. Watermarks
in the paper help to identify several editions, but these may not
be visible if the print is framed.

Once you have bought your print, you may be tempted to trim it.
While this is often considered unadvisable or damaging to the value of
the print, consider these things:
1) Will it be more attractive
with smaller margins?
2) Are you likely to get more enjoyment out
of it with smaller margins?
3) Can you afford a nicer framing job if
you trim it slightly?
4) How much value are you talking about
anyway?
Framing a $50 Amsterdam print will likely cost you over
$100, regardless of its eventual size. Unless you expect to
sell it, chances are you will be better off trimming it a little,
hanging it, and enjoying it. Let your grandchildren worry about the
diminished value.

There are several sellers on okay who regularly offer Audubon prints.
Their descriptions are detailed and quite informative. Check their
feedback and you will see that they are honest, decent people. Of
course, there are others who collect mostly, but may sell on occasion.
Chances are, they have bought from the same dealers. And then there are
other sellers who deal mostly in posters and their prices reflect the
difference. Some sellers may encourage you to misunderstand what
they actually have for sale. Be sure to ask questions and to
assure yourself that the value YOU place on the item will be
greater than the price you must pay.