FALLS CHURCH, VA.- The premier attraction of Waverly’s March 1 Fine and Rare Books, Maps & Manuscripts auction is an 1840 first edition of John James Audubon’s The Birds of America. It comes with provenance from the Washington, DC-area collection of Charles Truitt and is estimated at $40,000-$60,000.
Known as an “octavo” edition, the 9-inch-tall book is especially desirable because it is complete, with all 500 illustrations present.
“Usually Audubon editions of this type are pilfered for their famous and decorative illustrations, which people frame and display. This one is special because it is 100 percent complete,” said Waverly’s specialist Anson Brown.
The consignor of the Audubon book is Charles Truitt’s son, who has kept and cared for the important book from his father’s collection for many years. He has also consigned to auction an edition of John James Audubon and John Bachman’s The Quadrapeds of North America. It is estimated at $3,000-$6,000.
Another highlight of the 215-lot sale is a circa-1900 fully leather-bound edition of The Life of Napoleon, which came to Waverly’s from a couple in Winchester, Va., who had it on a bookshelf for 38 years.
Continued: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=53661
Showing posts with label Birds of America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birds of America. Show all posts
Saturday, 18 February 2012
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Bald Eagle Sighting Almost A Guarantee Along The Housatonic River
Peter Marteka
Nature's Path & Way To Go
January 16, 2011
My bald eagle sightings in the state have been limited to sheer luck and being in the right place at the right time.
Last January, I was walking along the Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail in Meriden when a bald eagle flew mere feet above my head along the river. Prior to that I sighted an eagle high up in a tree as I drove across the old swing bridge connecting Haddam and East Haddam. About a decade separated my two glimpses of our national symbol.
Now, if there was a place I could go in the state that would pretty much guarantee a Haliaeetus leucocephalus sighting…
The Shepaug bald eagle observation area in Southbury – one of the largest concentration of wintering eagles in Connecticut - comes pretty close to that guarantee. Even during this good old fashioned New England winter where everything seems to be frozen tight, the waters of Housatonic River at the Shepaug Dam remains open water year round due to the operation of a hydroelectric station. That means fishing season is always open.
bout that guarantee? During the 2010 bald eagle observation season, officials from FirstLight Power Resources noted that an average of six eagles were seen plucking fish out of the water, soaring overhead or perched on trees. So far this year, that average is up to eight raptors. Since the viewing area opened in 1985, more than 130,000 people have seen bald eagles – a raptor that was once very close to extinction.
The observation area is open for eagle viewing through March 16 as eagles make their way from up north seeking open water to feed. Some of the eagles live around the dam year-round. If fishing was this good, I wouldn't leave either. Bald eagles aren't the only ones licking their beaks, other birds seen in the area include red-tail hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, goshawks, great blue herons and a variety of waterfowl.
"The area is situated to help minimize any disruption to the visiting eagles so people can observe these majestic creatures in their normal winter habitat," said Gary Smolen, longtime coordinator of the program. "We love to have kids with their families, seniors and anyone having an appreciation of wildlife come and visit. It's an experience they will not soon forget.
Visitors gather in a blind with spotting scopes and high-powered telescopes set up to provide excellent viewing, but bringing your own binoculars is suggested. Volunteers from the Connecticut Audubon Society can assist viewers, provide information and answer questions.
So if you want to see an eagle, take a quarter out of your pocket. If you want to see the national symbol, take a trip to a dam along the Housatonic River this winter.
The area is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Although admission is free, reservations are required as attendance is limited in order not to spook the birds. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-368-8954, Tuesday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. through March 7.
http://www.courant.com/community/southbury/hc-marteka-eagle-watch-0116-20110116,0,7529572.column
Nature's Path & Way To Go
January 16, 2011
My bald eagle sightings in the state have been limited to sheer luck and being in the right place at the right time.
Last January, I was walking along the Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail in Meriden when a bald eagle flew mere feet above my head along the river. Prior to that I sighted an eagle high up in a tree as I drove across the old swing bridge connecting Haddam and East Haddam. About a decade separated my two glimpses of our national symbol.
Now, if there was a place I could go in the state that would pretty much guarantee a Haliaeetus leucocephalus sighting…
The Shepaug bald eagle observation area in Southbury – one of the largest concentration of wintering eagles in Connecticut - comes pretty close to that guarantee. Even during this good old fashioned New England winter where everything seems to be frozen tight, the waters of Housatonic River at the Shepaug Dam remains open water year round due to the operation of a hydroelectric station. That means fishing season is always open.
bout that guarantee? During the 2010 bald eagle observation season, officials from FirstLight Power Resources noted that an average of six eagles were seen plucking fish out of the water, soaring overhead or perched on trees. So far this year, that average is up to eight raptors. Since the viewing area opened in 1985, more than 130,000 people have seen bald eagles – a raptor that was once very close to extinction.
The observation area is open for eagle viewing through March 16 as eagles make their way from up north seeking open water to feed. Some of the eagles live around the dam year-round. If fishing was this good, I wouldn't leave either. Bald eagles aren't the only ones licking their beaks, other birds seen in the area include red-tail hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, goshawks, great blue herons and a variety of waterfowl.
"The area is situated to help minimize any disruption to the visiting eagles so people can observe these majestic creatures in their normal winter habitat," said Gary Smolen, longtime coordinator of the program. "We love to have kids with their families, seniors and anyone having an appreciation of wildlife come and visit. It's an experience they will not soon forget.
Visitors gather in a blind with spotting scopes and high-powered telescopes set up to provide excellent viewing, but bringing your own binoculars is suggested. Volunteers from the Connecticut Audubon Society can assist viewers, provide information and answer questions.
So if you want to see an eagle, take a quarter out of your pocket. If you want to see the national symbol, take a trip to a dam along the Housatonic River this winter.
The area is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Although admission is free, reservations are required as attendance is limited in order not to spook the birds. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-368-8954, Tuesday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. through March 7.
http://www.courant.com/community/southbury/hc-marteka-eagle-watch-0116-20110116,0,7529572.column
Friday, 10 September 2010
World's most expensive book goes up for sale (via Dawn Holloway)
A rare copy of John James Audubon's Birds of America, billed as the world's most expensive book, is to go on sale at Sotheby's, it has been announced.
Only 119 complete copies of the 19th-century book are known to exist, and 108 are owned by museums and libraries.
A separate edition of the wildlife book sold for a record-breaking price of $8.8m (£5.7m) a decade ago.
The copy going under the hammer in December comes from the collection of Lord Hesketh.
It contains 1,000 life-sized illustrations of almost 500 breeds.
It took wildlife artist John James Audubon 12 years to complete his study.
He did so by travelling across America, shooting the birds. He would then hang them on bits of wire to paint them.
The artist then went to Britain to print the volumes and targeted the rich to buy copies.
Lord Hesketh's collection also includes a rare copy of Shakespeare's First Folio, which Sotheby's said is "the most important book in all of English Literature".
Of the 750 that were probably printed, only 219 are known to exist today.
The copy being offered for sale, which dates back to 1623, has a valuation of up to £1.5 million, and only has three pages missing.
It is one of only three textually complete copies to exist in private hands in a comparably early binding.
Letters written from Elizabeth I relating to Mary Queen of Scots are also going under the hammer at the sale, which takes place on 7 December.
David Goldthorpe, a senior specialist in Sotheby's books and manuscripts department in London, said: "To have all these items in one sale is remarkable; it's certainly never happened in my time, 15 years, and people who've been here longer can't recall it."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11242275
Only 119 complete copies of the 19th-century book are known to exist, and 108 are owned by museums and libraries.
A separate edition of the wildlife book sold for a record-breaking price of $8.8m (£5.7m) a decade ago.
The copy going under the hammer in December comes from the collection of Lord Hesketh.
It contains 1,000 life-sized illustrations of almost 500 breeds.
It took wildlife artist John James Audubon 12 years to complete his study.
He did so by travelling across America, shooting the birds. He would then hang them on bits of wire to paint them.
The artist then went to Britain to print the volumes and targeted the rich to buy copies.
Lord Hesketh's collection also includes a rare copy of Shakespeare's First Folio, which Sotheby's said is "the most important book in all of English Literature".
Of the 750 that were probably printed, only 219 are known to exist today.
The copy being offered for sale, which dates back to 1623, has a valuation of up to £1.5 million, and only has three pages missing.
It is one of only three textually complete copies to exist in private hands in a comparably early binding.
Letters written from Elizabeth I relating to Mary Queen of Scots are also going under the hammer at the sale, which takes place on 7 December.
David Goldthorpe, a senior specialist in Sotheby's books and manuscripts department in London, said: "To have all these items in one sale is remarkable; it's certainly never happened in my time, 15 years, and people who've been here longer can't recall it."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11242275
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