Audubon, John James and John Bachman | The undated Lockwood octavo edition

Audubon, John James and John Bachman

The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America. New York: George R. Lockwood (Late Roe Lockwood & Son), [ca. 1870]

3 vols, 8vo (270 x 182 mm). Half-titles, title-pages, 155 chromolithographed plates after J.J. and J.W. Audubon by W.E. Hitchcock and R. Trembly, printed and finished by hand by J.T. Bowen of Philadelphia; browning to plate 12 from where ribbon had been laid down, margins of plate 34 soiled, plate 59 appears before plate 58, plate 119 misnumbered as 160, plate 140 misnumbered as 111, marginal chip to p. 103 in first volume, dampstain to integral blank in third volume, otherwise overall with light toning, offsetting, and some stray spots, but plates are bright and clean. In contemporary half green morocco over marbled boards ruled blind, spines with raised bands 6 compartments, second and fourth gilt lettered, others ruled in gilt, marbled endpapers; lightly rubbed at extremities with exposure to some corners.

The undated Lockwood edition, with clean and bright plates. The dating of this issue is problematic: it was published later than the copyright date of 1849 on the verso of each title, but before the edition published with a preface signed by Lockwood as publishers and dated 1870. With the success of the octavo edition of the Birds of America in mind, a similar edition of the Quadrupeds was envisaged from an early stage. The folio edition was published in 30 numbers between 1845 and 1854, and publication of the first octavo edition began in 1849 and was also completed in 1854. Unfortunately Audubon did not live to see the completion of either project, and after his death in January 1851 the work was seen through to completion by his son John Woodhouse Audubon.

REFERENCE:

Nissen ZBI 163; Wood, p. 208