John James Audubon No 49 Snowy Heron or White Egret Amsterdam Edition, 1972, Watermarked, Unframed

John James Audubon
No.49 Snowy Heron or White Egret.
From "The Birds of America" (Amsterdam Edition) (PLATE.CCXLII.)
Johnson Reprint Corporation and Theatrum Orbis Terrarum between 1971 and 1972
Colour-printed lithograph, on fine hand-made paper
sheet: 39 1/2 x 25 3/4 inches
image: 25 x 19 inches
Edition of 250
Printed lower center: Snowy Heron or White Egret ARDEA CANDIDISSIMA, Gm. Male adult Spring plumage Rice Plantation South Carolina

Printed lower left: Drawn from Nature, by J.J. Audubon, F.R.S. F.L.S.

Printed lower right: Engraved, Printed, & Coloured, by R. Havell, London, 1835

Amsterdam Edition
The Amsterdam Edition was a full size exact reproduction of the original Havell Edition completed in the 1970's Bearing "G. Schut and Zonen (JR) (OT) Audubon" watermarks.

In October 1971, employing the most faithful printing method available, the best materials and the ablest craftsmen of their age, the Amsterdam firm of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum Ltd., in conjunction with the Johnson Reprint Corporation of New York, set out to produce the finest possible limited edition facsimile of the greatest bird book ever printed: the Havell edition of John James Audubon's well-loved "Birds of America".

The Curators of the Teyler's Museum in Haarlem, Holland made their copy of the original work available for use as a model. The Museum, founded in 1778, bought their copy through Audubon's son as part of the original subscription in 1839. After long deliberation, the extremely complex but highly accurate process of colour photo-lithography was chosen as the appropriate printing method. The best exponents of this art were the renowned Dutch printing firm of NV Fotolitho Inrichting Drommel at Zandvoort who were willing to undertake the task of printing each plate in up to eight different colours. 

The original Havell edition was published on hand-made rag paper and the publishers were determined that the paper of their edition should match the original. Unhappy with the commercially available papers, they turned to the traditional paper manufacturers G. Schut & Zonen (founded in 1625), who, using 100% unbleached cotton rags, were able to produce a wove paper of the highest quality, with each sheet bearing a watermark unique to the edition: G. Schut & Zonen [JR monogram] Audubon [OT monogram]. 

The publishers and their dedicated team completed their task late in 1972 and the results of these labours were affectionately known as the "Amsterdam Audubon." 250 copies were published and sold by subscription, with the plates available bound or unbound. Given all this careful preparation, it is not surprising that the prints have the look and feel of the original Havell edition.




Image over lightbox of G. Schut and Zonen (JR) (OT) Audubon watermark:



This is a Guaranteed Authentic John James Audubon Snowy Heron or White Egret Colour printed lithograph.