Audubon's birthday

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Naturalist, artist, explorer John James Audubon was born on this date in 1785.

His monumental opus, Birds of America, contained 437 hand-colored engravings printed on sheets of paper measuring 39.5 inches X 28.5 inches wide. His goal was to depict every bird found in America life size: hummingbirds small, whooping cranes five feet tall.

It took Audubon 13 years to complete during which time subscribers regularly received deliveries of five prints every few months—ultimately, 87 sets of five. Because of that, not that many complete sets are in existence. Once completed, buyers either kept their sheets loose stored in boxes or had them leather-bound into books.

Last December in London a complete set sold for over $10.3 million at Sotheby's auction house to an unknown buyer.

I should be so lucky.

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