THE BIRDS OF AMERICA, FROM DRAWINGS MADE IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR TERRITORIES. New York & Philadelphia: J. J. Audubon & J. B. Chevalier (Printed by E. G. Dorsey), 1840 – 1844. Royal Octavo Edition. Vols. 1-5. Bookplates of John Julius Pringle attached inside front covers; contemporary dark brown diced calf leather covers with gilt borders, raised bands to spine with gilt panels and labels; all edges gilt; marbled endpapers, silk ribbons. The first Octavo edition, and the only one in which the prints were done under the direct supervision of Audubon himself. Volumes measure 10 1/2" x 7 1/4"; Plates 10 1/4" x 6 1/2". Items 6 and 7: AUDUBON AND HIS JOURNALS. WITH ZOOLOGICAL AND OTHER NOTES BY ELLIOTT COUES. by Maria R. Audubon, London: John C. Nimmo, 1898. Two octavo volumes, 532, 554pp, 1st UK edition, after Charles Scribner''s 1897 US edition. Note: John Julius Pringle, Sr. (1753 – 1843), a notable figure in South Carolina''s history, was a Charleston lawyer; from 1792 to 1808, Pringle served as attorney-general of South Carolina.

PROVENANCE: By descent in the historic Pinckney family of Runnymede Plantation, South Carolina.

CONDITION: All volumes with slight leather powdering and scattered toning and foxing throughout, predominantly affecting text pages and tissue guards, generally not affecting plates. Volume I: Front cover detached with subsequent spine leather unhinged; All plates (1-70) present with tissue guards; Plate 13 (Washington Sea Eagle) mislabeled as "Pl. 10"; likewise Plate 17 (Mississippi Kite) mislabeled "Pl. 7"; Volume II: Tight bindings, slight scuffing to covers, All plates (71-140) present, most with tissue guards; plate 111 (Blue-Winged Yellow Swamp-Warbler) present, but bound out of sequence between plates 115 and 116; Volume III: Tight bindings, slight scuffing to covers; all plates (141-210) present with tissue guards; Plates 187 & 188 reversed sequentially. Volume IV: Tight bindings, slight scuffing to covers; all plates (211-280) present, most with tissue guards. Volume V: Front cover 90% separated, spine cover missing lower 1" and only attached to rear cover. Contains plates 281-350; through publisher error, plate 299 (Willow Ptarmigan) is absent, with plate 140 (Cat Bird, also in Vol. II) bound in its place. Journals: Very good condition with bumping to spine ends, slight foxing, predominantly not affecting plates.