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THBafter John James Audubon (1785-1851)
About Seller
65 Sharp Street
Hingham, MA 02043
United States
Copley Fine Art Auctions is the world's leading American sporting art auction company. Located in Hingham, MA, Copley specializes in antique decoys and 19th- and 20th-century American, sporting, and wildlife paintings. Principal Stephen O'Brien Jr., a fourth-generation sportsman with a refined colle...Read more
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About Auction
LiveFeb 12, 2015 - Feb 13, 2015
Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (564)
- Lot Description
Snowy Owl
hand-colored engraving, sheet size 38 3/4 by 25 7/8 in.
by Robert Havell"Snowy Owl (No. 25, Plate CXXI)"
"Strix Nyctea"
"Drawn from Nature by J. J. Audubon F.R.S.F.L.S." lower left
"Engraved, Printed, & Coloured by R. Havell, London" lower right
on J. Whatman watermarked paper
John James Audubon writes of the Snowy Owl, “This beautiful bird is merely a winter visitor of the United States, where it is seldom seen before the month of November, and whence it retires as early as the beginning of February. It wanders at times along the sea coast, as far as Georgia…”
“The Snowy Owl hunts during the day, as well as in the dusk. Its flight is firm and protracted, although smooth and noiseless. It passes swiftly over its hunting ground, seizes its prey by instantaneously falling on it, and generally devours it on the spot. When the objects of its pursuit are on wing, such as ducks, grouse, or pigeons, it gains upon them by urging its speed, and strikes them somewhat in the manner of the Peregrine Falcon. It is fond of the neighbourhood of rivers and small streams, having in their course cataracts or shallow rapids, on the borders of which it seizes on fishes…”
“The body of the Snowy Owl appears at first sight compact and very muscular...The male weighs 4 lb, the female 4 ¾ lb. avoirdupois...The observations which I have made induce me to believe that the pure and rich light-yellowish whiteness of this species belongs to both sexes after a certain age.”
“In the course of a winter spent at Boston, I had some superb specimens of the Snowy Owl brought to me, one of which, a male, was alive, having only been touched in the wing. He stood upright, keeping his feathers close, but would not suffer me to approach him. His fine eyes watched every movement I made…In the course of the same winter, I saw one sailing high over the bay along with a number of gulls, which appeared to dislike his company, and chased it at a respectful distance, the owl seeming to pay no regard to them.”
“Several individuals have been procured near Charleston, in South Carolina, one on James’ Island, another, now in the Charleston Museum, on Clarkson’s plantation. A fine one … at Columbia, the seat of government for the State of that name, from the chimney of one of the largest house in that town, and was beautifully preserved by Professor Gibbes of the Columbia College.”
Provenance: Collection of an independent Audubon Society
Literature: Christoph Irmscher, ed., “John James Audubon: Writings & Drawings,” New York, NY, 1999, pp. 333-336, plate 28, illustrated. John James Audubon, "Birds of America, From Drawings Made in the United States and Their Territories," London, England, 1826-1838.
- Shipping Info
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Shipping info
Copley Fine Art Auctions does not handle the shipping of any items. Shipping is the sole responsibility of the buyer. Once your payment has cleared, and we have received your authorized shipping release form items may be released for shipment. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC shall have no liability for any loss or damage to such items. Buyers should allow up to four weeks for shipment.PLEASE BE AWARE THAT INTERNET BIDDERS MAY NOT PICK UP THEIR ITEMS AT THE SALE SITE. ITEMS CAN BE PICKED UP BY APPOINTMENT OR SHIPPED STARTING FIVE DAYS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE SALE
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