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Audubon Print Quick Identification

Due to a large number of questions regarding the identification of Audubon Prints, I thought that it might help my viewers to go through a check list to determine if their prints could be one of the more valuable editions that are out there. This checklist is in no way an absolute. It will give you a few points to check that may eliminate your prints from the most valuable editions available.

First is the size of the print and in some cases the watermark.

Havell Edition -
The original aquatints created by Robert Havell, Jr. in the 1840's were produced on double elephant folio paper. The size of the Havell Edition prints is 26" x 39.5". Some prints are slightly smaller and some slightly larger due to some being cut out of bound volumes and other having never been bound, but this is the general size. There have been many reproductions in sizes much smaller than the originals. There are many size ranges from 8"x10" to 16"x20". They sometimes say that they were reproduced by an insurance company or a library or a press. While they say R. Havell on the bottom right corner they are not the originals. The size can sometimes be deceiving since many of the originals have been cut down to fit in frames. Audubon painted all of his subject in true life size and did not always fill up the whole sheet of paper. This is another indicator. If you have a picture of a bird that is only 6" tall on the print but stands 3' tall in nature it is either a reproduction or it may be an Octavo Edition print. (see Octavos below) The only way to confirm a Havell Edition Print that meets the other criteria is to find the watermark on the paper. You must hold the print up to a light source and you should be able to see the words "J Whatman" and the date. In some cases the watermark will also include the words "Turkey Mill". Whatman made the paper that Havell used in printing. Whatman also supplied the excellent paper for Prideux John Selby's, Illustrations of British Ornithology. Click Here to see an example of a watermark. For a history of Turkey Mill where Whatman made this paper click here.

Bien Edition -
The Bien Edition was also produced on Double Elephant Folio paper but not on J Whatman paper. The Bien Edition prints do not carry a watermark. They do however credit Bien on the bottom right hand corner of the print instead of R. Havell. The catch with the Bien prints is that they sometimes put two different subjects on one sheet of paper. The size of the birds is still life size but sometimes the two images have been cut apart for framing. In this case only one of the two images has the Bien credit on the bottom right corner.

Octavo Edition Prints -
The Octavo Edition prints are approximately 6.5"x10.5". (Never 8"x10" or 8.5"x11") The name Octavo comes from the paper size being 1/8 the Double Elephant Folio. There were several editions of the octavos done in the same size. Distinguishing between the octavo editions is a more intricate process. There is an excellent book on the First Edition called Audubon's Great National Work by Ron Tyler 1993 (University of Texas Press). It is out of print but can sometimes be found in used book stores. 

Amsterdam Edition -
The Amsterdam Edition was a full size exact reproduction of the original Havell Edition completed in the 1970's. The process used was photolithography. The paper is the same double elephant folio size as the Havell Edition and the Bien Edition approximately 26"x39.5". The Amsterdam Edition prints have a Watermark "G Schut and Zonen (JR) (OT) Audubon".

PLEASE NOTE: If your print includes the text "From the Collection of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company",  "Old Print Shop" or "New York Historical Society" it is not from one of the editions descibed above and is not of great value. They sell on www.ebay.com consistently and that is the best place to research the value of this edition.

Next is the close-up view

One quick way to tell the old from the new is with a magnifying glass or a jeweler's loop. Most of the less valuable reproductions that are out there were reproduced using photolithography (like the Amsterdam Edition noted above). A photolithography is made up of millions of tiny colored dots which are visible under magnification. If you look closely at a magazine or newspaper you can see these dots. The Havell Edition was printed from engraved copper plates in black ink then hand colored so there are no dots, The Bien Edition was printed from stone printing plates created by hand so there are no dots. The same goes for the Octavo editions. No dots. The Amsterdam Edition has the dots and it has been considered an investment grade reproduction since the entire edition was completed and bound in full sets on high quality paper. For Amsterdam identification you must look for the watermark "G Schut and Zonen (JR) (OT) Audubon" mentioned above.

I hope this helps some of you with identifying your prints. 

If you have prints from editions that you see on my web site or other original hand colored lithographs from the 1800's and are interested in selling them please see my Acquisitions Page.

 If you feel that you have prints from one of these editions and are interested in selling please contact me by e-mail or through my response form.

For more information on evaluating Audubon art, you can visit the National Audubon Society at this link.

There is also a book available on this subject from the American Historical Print Collectors Society at http://www.ahpcs.org/audubon.htm