The Birds of America, From Drawings Made In The United States And Their Territories.

First octavo edition of Audubon's landmark work; one of the most spectacular collections of ornithological prints ever produced. Royal octavo, 7 volumes bound in full 19th-century morocco by P. Low of Boston with their ticket, gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, ribbons bound in. Illustrated with 500 hand-colored lithographed plates after Audubon by W. E. Hitchcock, R. Trembly and others, printed and colored by J. T. Bowen, wood-engraved anatomical diagrams in text. Presentation copy, inscribed by John James Audubon on the on the contents leaf of volume one, "Miss Lydia E. E. Greene with the affectionate good wishes of her friend and servant, John J. Audubon, Boston, June 8, 1844" and additionally on the front free endpaper of Vol. II., "Miss Lydia, E. E. Greene; and may God bless her, with the sincerest wishes of her old friend and servant, John J. Audubon, Boston, June 8, 1844." The recipient, Lydia E. E. Greene became a Proprietor of the Boston Athenaeum in 1854.  Audubon spent only a few months living in Boston from 1832-1833, but the city made an impact on him; his wife Lucy wrote to  a friend that the city “is a more interesting place than any I have seen in the United States, and where we met with a most cordial welcome and obtained eight subscribers to our work [The Birds of America].” Audubon exhibited sketches of his Birds of America at the Boston Athenaeum in August 1832. In very good condition with the plates exceptionally clean.