AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY; OR, THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES: ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES Engraved and Colored from Original Drawings taken from Nature
DateFebruary 12, 1812
Maker
Alexander Wilson
(1766-1813)
Publisher
Bradford & Inskeep
Printer
Robert and William Carr
MediumBlack and white line engravings colored by hand, text pages, bound with leather spines and marbleized boards
Dimensions11" (h) X 14" (h) X 3/4"
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number2018-147,5
Label Text2018-147, 5- Volume 5Contains a Title page, Preface, an Index to the fifth volume, and
nine plates illustrating 26 species accompanied by text for each. For each bird, Wilson cited publications in which they had been previously illustrated.
Plate XXXVII
Fish-Hawk, or Osprey
Fish Crow
Ringed Plover
Little Sandpiper
Plate XXXVIII
Barn Swallow (male and female)
Green-Blue, or White-Bellied Swallow
Bank Swallow, or Sand Martin
Plate XXXIX
Chimney Swallow
Purple Martin (male and female)
Connecticut Warbler
Plate XL
Night Hawk (male and female)
Plate XLI
Whip-Poor-Will (male, female, and young)
Plate XLII
Red Owl (female)
Warbling Flycatcher
Purple Finch
Brown Lark
Plate XLIII
Carolina Pigeon, or Turtle Dove
Hermit Thrush
Tawny Thrush
Pine-Swamp Warbler
Plate XLIV
Passenger Pigeon
Blue-Mountain Warbler
Hemlock Warbler
Plate XLV
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Redstart
Yellow Rump
InscribedInscribed on the inside of the front board "John Ford"
Inscription on the front flyleaf of Volume 1, second issue, October 1, 1808:
"This Copyof the first two volumes of the ornithology was purchased in Paisley when procuring information and materials for the Biography of Wilson. on shewing them to Mr. Ord while at Jardine Hall in 1855, he recognized the hand writing of Wilson on the title of the 2nd volume and considered it as one of the very first copies of the work coloured by Wilson's own hand. The first copy he presented to his father, the second to his friend Bartram-- This Edition is remarkable also in plate VII, in the later editions the red bellied Woodpecker in plate VII was not considered fortunate in attitude was altered bu Mr Lawson as may be seen on comparing the annexed plate copied from the second edition with that in this volume. The attitude of the head was erased and reengraved-- the Insect on the Branch on which the cedar Bird is perched added
Jardine Hall
oct. 3d 1855"
ProvenanceVolumes 1 and 2 were presented to William Bartram (the inscription is in volume 2). Presumably Bartram was presented with the first issue of volume 1. The two copies of volume 1 and 2 were then owned by William Jardine (see the inscription in on the endpaper of volume 2). Volumes 3-9 are inscribed "John Ford." The entire set, including the Bonapart volumes, the original watercolor, and 2 manuscript letters were owned by Dr. Evan Morton Evans (1870-1955) and his son Daniel Webster Evans (1907-1966). The most recent owner, prior to being purchased by Colonial Williamsburg, was New York collector Gilbert Butler.
