Audubon's New Bedford

After the publication of The Birds of America folios, John James Audubon found fame but not fortune. That would come in 1839-40 with his inspired idea to create a smaller book-sized version of the original 40” x 29” folio sheets.  In contrast to his difficulty selling subscriptions to the original double-elephant folio, Audubon was inundated with orders for the new edition (known as the royal octavo edition). New Bedford was among the places he visited to seek subscriptions, a city he first encountered 35 years earlier.  

 Audubon picked up at least 51 subscriptions during multiple stops in the whaling city, about as many as he obtained in Boston.  The subscribers included many scions from New Bedford’s most illustrious families, including the Rotches, Howlands, Robesons, Cliffords, Hathaways, Delanos, Swains, Crockers, Congdons, Nyes and Grinnells.  Samuel Rodman Jr., one of the subscribers, called Audubon “an interesting old gentleman [who] is much pleased with New Bedford for the liberal manner in which he has been patronized.”

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.