New York. V. G. Audubon, 1849. First edition.
Volume One only.
Fine leather binding with gilt tooled Audubon vignette on front and blind vignette on back, gilt tooled borders and decoration on front and back boards, gilt spine decorations and title.
Large octavo (10.5 inches tall), viii, 383, [1] pages. 49 plates (of 50 called for).

First printing of the octavo edition with hand-colored lithographed plates drawn by Audubon.
Forty nine of the 50 plates described in the text are present. Plate IX is missing. (Not clear is it was removed or left out).

CONDITION: Covers have some superficial tearing, scratches and rubbing of leather. The Spine has wear and large chips at top and bottom ends; wear and cracks at joints with boards.
The tightly bound Contents are complete except for one missing plate (No. 9).
The Title Page has light foxing.
The text is complete and intact, a few pages are slightly proud, and a few pages, usually adjacent to the plates, have light foxing spots.
Two tissue guards are missing, several have creases and/or chips or and many are foxed.
Of the 49 plates: 26 have no foxing spots; 20 have light marginal foxing, and 3 are moderately foxed.
One plate has a short repaired closed tear at the upper gutter corner (far from the illustration).
One plate (No. 38) has wear and darkening at the edges but still has ample clear margins.