(New York, 1785-1851)

Pigeon Hawk, Pl. 92, from The Birds of America, London, 1827-1838, variant 1, Havell edition, hand colored etching, engraving and aquatint on wove paper with "J. Whatman/1830" watermark, plate 25-3/4 x 20-3/8 in., sheet 38-3/4 x 25-1/2 in.; handmade wood frame, 42 x 29 in.

Note: Steiner states, "The Third Earl Carnarvon accepted the first 160 prints from Audubon then ended the subscription around 1833. These 160 prints remained unbound in Highclere Castle until 1895. They were sold by the Fifth Earl to help finance the expeditions that eventually found the tomb of King Tutankhamen.

Highclere Castle is the home to the Eighth Earl of Carnarvon. The castle achieved international fame as the main filming location for the historical drama series Downton Abbey."

Lot Accompanied by:

Christie, Manson & Woods International Inc. Fine Prints from Audubon's Birds of America: Thursday, 18 January 2001. New York, N.Y.: Christie's, 2001, (ref: no. 92, ill., pg. 64)

Steiner, Bill. Audubon Art Prints: A Collector's Guide to Every Edition. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 2003.

Provenance: The Artist to John George Herbert, Third Earl of Caernarvon, original subscription; To his son, Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 1849; George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Caernarvon; Sold in 1895 by Sotheby's to Sotheran's Booksellers, London; New York Family, Sold by Christie's New York, January 18, 2001, lot 35; Collection of Bill Steiner

excellent color (as compared to the Sachsen-Meiningen copy), loose, with central seam as found in the collection of Lord Caernarvon, some handling creases