Produced between 1858 and 1860, the Bien edition of John James Audubon’s "The Birds of America" is the largest and most valuable color plate book ever published in America, and the rarest of all John James Audubon folios.  Printed on large sheets measuring 39 x 26 1/2 inches, called double-elephant, this edition also represents one of the finest examples of early chromolithography printing.  Seven years after his death, John James Audubon’s sons, John Woodhouse Audubon and Victor Gifford Audubon, began this edition of The Birds of America with Julius Bien, a New York-based printer who was pioneering the field of chromolithography.  Bien transferred the images from Robert Havell’s copper plates onto lithographic stones.  As many as six printing stages with additional hand-drawn lithography and coloring were used create these prints.  As with the Havell edition, the Bien edition was sold by subscription, beginning in 1858.  Production was halted by the Civil War, and only 150 plates (of 435) were completed.  The Audubon family was unable to complete and sell the edition or recoup their losses, which led to bankruptcy.  It is believed that fewer than seventy folios were sold.  This print has some age-related toning; otherwise, excellent condition.  One of the most rare and sought-after Audubon bird prints.
 
A full size, fine art reproduction of the edition's colophon page is provided along with the print.  Our original is not for sale.
 
John James Audubon (1785-1851) was an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He is best known for his comprehensive study of North American birds and animals, documented in his famous books "The Birds of America" and "Quadrupeds of North America".  Audubon was born in Haiti to a French father and a Creole mother.  He spent his early years in France and moved to the United States as a teenager.  He traveled extensively throughout North America, documenting and painting the various bird species he encountered.  His book "The Birds of America" is a landmark in the field of ornithology, containing over 400 hand-painted illustrations of birds in their natural habitats.  The book is considered one of the finest examples of wildlife illustration and has been widely praised for its scientific accuracy and artistic beauty.

Audubon also founded the National Audubon Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats.  Today, the society is one of the largest environmental organizations in the world and continues to work towards protecting birds and the environment.