MS Am 21, MS Am 21.5, MCZ 118
Audubon, John James, 1785-1851. John James Audubon letters and
drawings: Guide.
Houghton Library, Harvard College Library
![[link]](http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.OIS:fas_shield)
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
© 1998 The President and Fellows of Harvard College
Imaging funded by the Class of 1952 Manuscript Department Fund.
Last update on 2009 January 9
Repository: Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
Location: b, pf
Call No.: MS Am 21
Location: f
Call No.: MS Am 21.5
Call No.: MCZ 118
Creator: Audubon, John James, 1785-1851.
Title: John James Audubon letters and drawings,
Date(s): 1805-1892
(inclusive), 1805-1847 (bulk).
Quantity:
15 boxes and 1 volume (4 linear
ft.)
Abstract: Letters and drawings by American naturalist John James Audubon.
Processed by: Leslie A. Morris, with assistance of Scott V. Edwards
*98M-51. bMS Am 21, pfMS Am 21, and fMS Am 21.5: Bequest of Joseph Y. Jeanes,
1928. Delivered to Harvard, 1930.
MCZ 118: Deposited by the Library of the Museum of Comparative
Zoology.
In 1824 Audubon sold many of these drawings to Edward Harris, and later gave others to Harris in gratitude for his
continued financial support and friendship. The Harris Collection remained intact until
1892, when a large part was purchased from the estate of Edward Harris 2nd by Joseph Y. Jeanes of Philadelphia. (see Francis H. Herrick, Audubon the Naturalist, New York: D. Appleton, 1917).
There are no restrictions on physical access to this material.
Images linked to this finding aid are intended for public access and
educational use. This material is owned and/or held by the Houghton Library, and is
provided solely for the purpose of teaching or individual research. Any other use,
including commercial reuse, mounting on other systems, or other forms of redistribution
requires the permission of the curator.
John James Audubon
Letters and Drawings (MS Am 21, MS Am 21.5). Houghton Library, Harvard University.
Audubon was an American artist and ornithologost.
Organized into the following series:
- I. Drawings (pfMS Am 21)
- II. Correspondence (bMS Am 21)
- III. Additional letters by Audubon (fMS Am 21.5)
- IV. Drawings by John James Audubon, deposited by the Ernst Mayr Library,
Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ 118)
Contains professional correspondence of Audubon and 14 boxes of his drawings.
Many of the letters are to Audubon's friend and patron Edward Harris who accompanied
him on several expeditions. Also includes five drawings deposited by the Ernst Mayr
Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ 118).
-
Series:
I. Drawings (pfMS Am 21).
Titles are transcribed
from the drawings, although punctuation may differ.
Audubon frequently gives the names of the birds as found in Alexander
Wilson,
American ornithology (often abbreviated A.W.); and in Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de Buffon,
Histoire naturelle
des oiseux. He also numbered most of the drawings, and these numbers are
given in each entry.
All but one drawing, item (65) are of birds.
-
(29)
Box 7.
[Black-headed gull]
N.p.,
n.d.
1 drawing : pastel,
graphite, and ink on paper ; 30 x 47 cm.
Probably a Black-headed Gull, (Larus ridibundus)shown without background details. Though there are no dates nor place listed for this
drawing, it most closely matches characteristics of the Black-headed Gull of Europe.
Unsigned.
Audubon no. 67.
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-
(58),
(59)
Box 12.
La Grebe de Brillon; La Languois. Near Nantes,
[1805 or
1806].
2 drawings on 1 sheet : pastel, graphite, and ink on
paper ; 66 x 51 cm.
Depicts the young bird
and the winter-plumaged adult Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps
cristatus), without background details.
Pencil sketch of duck on
verso of sheet.
Unsigned.
Audubon no. 149 and 150.
-
(69)
Box 13.
Common name for Spoon Billed teal,
Edwards, Shoveler.
New York,
1807 Apr.
3.
1 drawing : pastel, graphite, and ink on paper ; 48 x 68 cm.
Depicts the male Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) standing on the ground.
Pencil sketches of bills, with long ms. note about the position of the bird. On
verso, additional sketches, including two men and two dogs.
Signed J.J.L.
Audubon.
Audubon no. 163.
-
(73)
Box 14.
[Common gull] [France?],
n.d.
1 drawing : pastel,
graphite, and ink on paper ; 52 x 67 cm.
Depicts a bird, possibly a Common Gull (Larus canus), without background detail.
Unsigned.
Paper has a Dutch
watermark, possibly indicating drawing was made in France?
Audubon no. 167.
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-
(96)
Box 10.
[Du]ck of Carolina. [Cr]ested Duck. [?] la
Cardiere.
N.p.,
1807.
1 drawing :pastel, graphite, and ink on paper ; 48 x 61 cm.
Portion of sheet missing, affecting title.
Depicts the male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) standing on
the ground.
Signed J.J.L. Audubon.
No Audubon no.
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-
(97)
Box 14.
Fish Hawk or Osprey A. Wilson. Faucon
Pecheur de la Caroline de Buffon. Falco Hallaetus.
Perkiomen Creek,
1806.
1 drawing : pastel,
watercolor, graphite, and ink on paper ; 57 x 63 cm.
Depicts the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) holding a White Sucker (Catostomus commersoni) in its talons,
perched on a branch.
Signed "drawn from Nature by J.J. Audubon."
No
Audubon no.
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-
Series:
III. Additional letters by Audubon (fMS Am 21.5).
-
(1)
ALS to Daniel Webster;
New York,
1841 Sept. 8.
1p.
-
(2)
ALS to Titian Ramsay Peale;
London,
1837 Sept. 19.
2p.
-
(3)
ALS to John Kirk Townsend;
Edinburgh,
1839 Jan. 1.
2p.
-
(4)
Audubon, Victor Gifford. ALS to John Kirk
Townsend;
New York,
1849 Feb. 18.
3p.
-
(5)
Portrait engraving of John James Audubon, inscribed by
Audubon to J. Hervé,
Minnie's Land, N.Y.
1844 Jan. 14,
1 s.
-
Series:
IV. Drawings by John James Audubon, deposited by the Ernst
Mayr Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ 118)
-
(5)
Box 6 of pfMS Am 21.
Meriones Labradorius J.
Cuvier? Labrador Jumping Mouse, Male 1. Female 2. Natural size.
[Labrador],
[1833].
1 drawing : watercolor, graphite, and ink on paper ; 29 x 42 cm.
Shows the male Meadow (Labrador) Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius ladas) crouching and the female mouse
standing. Notes giving measurements of head, tail, etc., in upper right corner.
Unsigned.
No Audubon no.
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