Audubon Art Prints: A Collector's Guide to Every Edition: Amazon.ca: Bill Steiner: Books

Product Description

This work offers buyers, sellers, and collectors an easy-to-use, one-volume source of information for these bird and quadruped prints of John James Audubon. It contains obscure references, where the author, Bill Steiner, has surveyed the contemporary market-place. Addressing one of the more complex aspects of print collection, the text clarifies the task of distinguishing the octavio prints of the successive editions of Audubon's "Birds of America" (1840-1871) and "Quadrupeds of North America (1849-1870). It describes the publication histories of each edition since the first, offers information about printers, engravers, and subscribers, and provides practical information on price histories, accessibility, and preservation.

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First Sentence
In 1819, John James Audubon was thirty-four years old, with a wife and two young sons, living near the American frontier in Henderson, Kentucky. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

9 Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource to Amateur Collectors of Audubon Prints, Oct 25 2003

By

Rama Krishna (Birmingham, AL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Audubon Art Prints: A Collector's Guide to Every Edition (Hardcover)

I got my copy a few months ago from Amazon.Com, and essentially read through it cover-to-cover, so to speak. I am an amateur collector of Audubon prints, and an enthusiast of Audubon's life, and the legacy he left behind for all the Americans. I think Bill Steiner's book is an invaluable resource that fills a major void about Audubon's prints - - It provides information on what to look for in collecting prints, which prints have significant value now and likely to appreciate in future, the technical details of production of Havells, Imperials, Biens, and the Octavos, some details on restoration and conservation, tips on internet-based sales, his own assesment of the Quality of various double-elephant folio prints (including modern day real high-quality reproductions such as the Amsterdams and the Princetons),and the names of several Audubon galleries (I didn't know some of them existed until after reading the book). Last but not the least, I enjoyed Bill's sense of humor (I particularly had a good laugh reading the recount of his experience at Christie's Auction House). I only wish his book were available to me a couple of years ago when I first started collecting the prints ! I recommend this book highly.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect launching pad for a jump into Audubon prints, Sep 23 2003

By

Leslie Kostrich "Specialist and dealer in Aud... (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Audubon Art Prints: A Collector's Guide to Every Edition (Hardcover)

As an art dealer specializing in original Audubon prints, I hear from many people who hope the Carolina Parrot print they found in the attic will turn out to be worth a fortune. Finally, there is a book that will help them...and me!

This well-illustrated book is the first to read if you have an interest (old or new) in Audubon prints. The book covers the original prints, the valuable full-sized facsimiles, and the not-so-valuable undersized reproductions. Steiner discusses all the major categories (and editions) of original prints including octavo (small) and folio (large), the birds and animals, the copper-plate etchings and the stone lithographs. He also provides a helpful overview of the vast number of facsimile and reproduction editions in circulation. While not complete, it is remarkably comprehensive and will help answer many an Audubon newcomer's questions.

Novice collectors will find everything they need to begin either a serious or casual exploration of Audubon's art--biography, glossary of terms, authentication guidelines (much easier than you may think!), sample prices, information on dealers and guidance on how to buy or sell prints. Seasoned collectors will find previously unpublished information that disproves or amends rules-of thumb that have been gospel for years; they will also find many new sources for prints, books, and educational pursuits.

Steiner has strong opinions and personal interests with regard to Audubon, and they are reflected in the text, but he is diligent about labeling them as such, and putting the more esoteric of his interests where they belong--in one of the book's many appendices. Overall, he has done an excellent job pulling together information from disparate sources, making available to collectors for the first time much "dealer lore"--information previously known only by Audubon specialists. This is a quick-reading book, and one that both dealers and collectors will refer to for years to come.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Compiled by a field ecologist and veteran bird-watcher, Sep 15 2003

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Audubon Art Prints: A Collector's Guide to Every Edition (Hardcover)

Compiled by field ecologist and veteran bird-watcher Bill Steiner, Audubon Art Prints: A Collector's Guide To Every Edition is a first-rate guide to the many distinctive avian prints and paintings of John James Audubon (1785-1851). The informative and scholarly text definitively recounts what these great works of art have sold for, as well as the stories behind the creation of the individual artworks. A superb resource for collectors and an indispensable addition to academic American Art History reference collections, Audubon Art Prints is a superbly organized and very strongly recommended presentation enhanced with twenty-two color illustrations and fifty-five halftones.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Unlocking the Door to the World of Audubon Prints
One of the most common stories you hear while visiting purveyors of original Audubon prints is how they constantly receive phone calls asking "is my Audubon print an original? Read more

Published on Aug 4 2003 by Dr. David J. Bottjer

5.0 out of 5 stars ALL THINGS AUDUBON - GUIDANCE FOR THE COLLECTOR
As a collector and publisher of Audubon prints, I am finding Bill Steiner's fresh and realistic approach to Audubon collecting quite refreshing. Read more

Published on July 22 2003 by birdsofamerica