AUDUBON, John James (1785–1851) and BACHMAN, John (1790–1874). The Quadrupeds of North America. New York: V.G. Audubon, 1849, 1851 and 1854.

First octavo edition. For his final opus, Audubon ventured west to the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains on a self-funded expedition after his request for federal support failed—confident that he could reproduce or even overshadow the success of his Birds project by turning to America’s diverse mammalian species. The equally-passionate naturalist John Bachman provided the details text accompanying Audubon’s vivid and lifelike illustrations. The work, at first issued in broadsheet-folio format, was rendered into octavo editions through the use of the camera lucida. These more compact volumes proved to be popular as had the octavo reductions of Audubon’s Birds of America printed a few years earlier. Bennett, p. 5; Nissen ZBI 163; Sabin 2638; Stamped with a National Character 38.

Three volumes, octavo (261 x 172mm). Half-titles in vols. I and III. 155 hand-colored lithographic plates after J.J. and John Wodehouse Audubon by W.E. Hitchcock and R. Trembly (a little toning and occasional spots, few tears in tissue guards, text block cracked in a couple of spots). Contemporary red morocco gilt, all edges gilt, vivid blue endpapers (some darkening to spines, tips just showing, few scuffs, small stain to vol. III lower cover).