The world’s most expensive book just made headlines again.
John James Audubon’s The Birds of America just reaffirmed its status as one of the world’s most valuable printed works. At a 2018 auction, a first-edition copy of the iconic natural history book sold at a Christie’s auction in New York for a stunning $9.65 million.
The Art and the Price Tag
This monumental 19th-century volume, famous for its over 400 hand-colored, life-size illustrations of 1,037 bird specimens, is much more than just a book—it’s considered the finest color-plate work ever produced.
The incredible price paid by an anonymous buyer makes this the second-highest sum ever paid for The Birds of America at auction. It nearly rivals the current record, set when another copy sold for $10.27 million in 2010. Its rarity and quality drive these stratospheric values; this copy was one of only 13 complete sets believed to remain in private hands. Christie’s described it as “among the most superlative copies” currently available.
A Legacy That Gives Back
Audubon dedicated years to finding and painting every known species of bird in North America for the book, which was originally published in sections between 1827 and 1838.
The specific copy sold in this auction previously belonged to the late U.S. businessman and naturalist Carl W. Knobloch Jr. The proceeds from the $9.65 million sale will go to the Knobloch Family Foundation, directly benefiting conservation efforts for plants, animals, and natural habitats—a fitting tribute to the original mission of Audubon’s remarkable project.