January 19, 2012

The Birds of America by John James Audubon – in pictures

On Friday, this masterpiece of ornithological illustration is up for auction – and it's predicted to be the most expensive book ever

The Birds of America: Columbia Jay — The Columbia jay. The jay is a native of Mexico rather than the Columbia river area in Oregon, and Audubon departed from an early resolve never to draw from a stuffed specimen Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

The Birds of America: The Carolina Parrot — The Carolina parrot. In Audubon's time the only species of parrot native to the US, it is now extinct Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

The Birds of America: The Mallard Duck — The mallard duck. Nearly 10m of these birds live in North America, and millions more are found in Eurasia Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

The Birds of America: White Headed Eagle — The white-headed, or bald, eagle. The national bird of America was listed as threatened on the US endangered species list in every state except Alaska – but it is now making a comeback Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

The Birds of America: Wild Turkey — The wild turkey. By the end of the 19th century, this bird had been hunted almost to extinction in its natural habitat in the south Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

The Birds of America: Common American Swan — The common American swan. Although Audubon was careful to preserve lifelike poses for his birds – within the constraints of the printed page – he would prepare his specimens he had killed with fine shot. He would spend some four 15-hour days preparing the finished painting using wires to prop up the birds Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

The Birds of America: American Flamingo — The American flamingo. Because it can stand up to five feet high, Audubon was obliged to depict the flamingo bending down, about to dip its beak into the water Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

The Birds of America: Snowy Owl — The snowy owl. Audubon developed his fascination with birds early in life, catching the enthusiasm from his father. 'I felt an intimacy with them … bordering on frenzy [that] must accompany my steps through life,' his biographer Richard Rhodes says Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

The Birds of America: Birds of America book — This first edition of Birds of America by John James Audubon, originally bought by the Duke of Portland some time after 1828, is expected to become the world's most expensive book when it is auctioned at Christie's later this month. The individual volumes stand three feet tall. The guide price is $7m-$10m Photograph: Christies Images Limited 2012

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