This week we are looking at the collection of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, ODN’s largest contributor to date. With over 35,000 items, there are a lot of great opportunities for items to highlight.
One of the more beautiful collections to review, especially since it’s starting to feel like Spring in Ohio, is the pages of John Audubon’s The Birds of America. Audubon’s ambitious attempt to paint every bird in North America, it took many years of work to come to fruition. When originally published it contained over 400 hand colored prints and had to be sold as a subscription in order to support the high cost of publication. Audubon might be surprised to learn that a first edition of his book recently sold for $9.6 million dollars at auction.
The Cardinal Grosbeak is also known as the Northern Cardinal, and is the official State Bird of 7 states, including Ohio – the most popular state bird! They can be found from Canada all the way down to Central America, and even in Hawai’i.
You can view this print and search for your favorite bird in the hundreds more available online at DPLA right now. Happy birding!
Courtesy the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County