John James Audubon's prospectus for The birds of America.

The prospectus for The birds of America, which was used by John James Audubon as a marketing tool while canvassing for potential subscribers, went through a series of editions between 1827 and 1838. From a single folded sheet describing the general scope of the work and its price, the prospectus grew to 16 pages that incorporated a separate title-page, the names of subscribers, favourable reviews, and a list of the individual prints that had been published. As the project came to a close, Audubon encapsulated the salient details in advertisements printed in publications in England and America. Six editions, based on 16 extant copies, were identified by W. H. Fries in 1973. Since that time, additional information has become available about the various editions, including ones of which Fries was not aware. A summary and reclassification of the editions is appropriate to assist in better understanding the history and rarity of this publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]