Very Rare - Audubon 1st Ed. Octavo - Wild Turkey - Plate 287
Item History & Price
Very Rare original John James Audubon lithograph Golden Eagle Gallery is pleased to offer Audubon'smagnificent masterpiece portrait of the male Wild Turkey This iconic portrait of the, "great American cock, " striding through Beech Woods Sugar Cane Plantation in West Feliciana Parish, Louisianais based on the priceless original painting Audubon created in 1825 during his stay at the Plantation. He later chose to m...ake this portrait of the Wild Turkey Plate No. 1 of both the Lizars & Havell Editions of his magnum opus, Birds of America . This antique lithograph was drawn on stone by master lithographer John Collins, whose initials "J.C." appear beneath the center of the image. It was printed and hand-colored under Audubon's direct supervision by America's finest early 19th century printmaker, J.T. Bowen's lithographic establishment inPhiladelphia, and published in a limited edition of 1, 050 copies by J.B. Chevalier, also of Philadelphia. This piece of fine art is Plate 287 from the 1st RoyalOctavo Edition of The Birds of America.It was published in 1842 as part of the original subscription edition of that great work and is now 177 years old! This antique stone lithograph with original handcoloring displays a strong, handsome and bold adult male Wild Turkey.This fine composition is highly sought after by serious collectors ofnatural history art. Audubon observed, "The great size and beauty of the Wild Turkey, its value as a delicate and highly prized article of food, and the circumstances of its being the origin of the domestic race now generally dispersed over both continents, render it one of the most interesting of the birds indigenous to the United States of America."The Wild Turkey was also a favorite of Benjamin Franklin. He thought the Wild Turkey would have been a far more appropriate symbol of bravery and honesty (than the bald eagle) for the newly formed society "Cincinnati of America" made up of American officers from the revolutionary war.
Franklin wrote from Paris in 1784 to his daughter Sally (Mrs. Sarah Bache) in Philadelphia that the Bald Eagle is "a bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly" [due to Franklin's having observed the eagle's habit of snatching fish from Osprey].
"For Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America.... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on." *******************************************************************************************************************************This extremely rare antique lithograph is in over all excellent condition with rich original hand coloring. The thick wove cotton rag sheet is evenly age-toned as appropriate for a work approaching two centuries in age, some soft handling creases, see detailed pictures. Sheet measures 10 1/2 in. x 6 5/8 in., with full margins. Evidence of original binding present along the left edge.This piece of early 19th century fine art would be an ideal gift.
Audubon was influenced by and yet transformed the tradition of naturalhistory art illustration by placing his subjects in their natural settings and in extraordinary life-like positions. His predecessors and successors notably included Mark Catesby, Alexander Wilson, John Gould, Prideaux John Selby, George Edwards, Edward Lear, Cornelius Nozeman, Eleazar Albin, Xaverio Manetti, Titian Ramsay Peale, Walton Ford and others.
Franklin wrote from Paris in 1784 to his daughter Sally (Mrs. Sarah Bache) in Philadelphia that the Bald Eagle is "a bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly" [due to Franklin's having observed the eagle's habit of snatching fish from Osprey].
"For Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America.... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on." *******************************************************************************************************************************This extremely rare antique lithograph is in over all excellent condition with rich original hand coloring. The thick wove cotton rag sheet is evenly age-toned as appropriate for a work approaching two centuries in age, some soft handling creases, see detailed pictures. Sheet measures 10 1/2 in. x 6 5/8 in., with full margins. Evidence of original binding present along the left edge.This piece of early 19th century fine art would be an ideal gift.
Audubon was influenced by and yet transformed the tradition of naturalhistory art illustration by placing his subjects in their natural settings and in extraordinary life-like positions. His predecessors and successors notably included Mark Catesby, Alexander Wilson, John Gould, Prideaux John Selby, George Edwards, Edward Lear, Cornelius Nozeman, Eleazar Albin, Xaverio Manetti, Titian Ramsay Peale, Walton Ford and others.
