Living nearby I could not resist the opportunity to visit the Audubon
exhibit at Shelburne Museum, in Shelburne, Vermont (near Burlington).
The museum itself is an americana folk life/art museum on sprawling
grounds with many historic buildings, a covered bridge, lighthouse,
gardens and etc. The museum features many exhibits and displays, the
most notable of which is an original steam-powered side-wheel
paddle-boat. The museum's iconic symbol is a large round barn
serving as the museum entrance and currently housing quilting and
chandelier exhibits. You can easily spend the better part of a day
here....
Now, on to the exhibit. The museum owns 60 Audubon/Havell prints,
which were acquired from the Old Print Shop, New York, in 1958.
Twenty-one of these prints are temporarily on display (through
October)in the Vermont House Gallery on the Museum grounds. Most of
the prints are full-sheet prints and highest tier images. The
Turkey's (#1&5), Snowy Owl (#121), Mallard Duck (#221), Common
American Swan (#411) are several examples. Here is the full list of
prints currently on display.
Plate Print Name Modern Name
238 Great Marbled Godwit Marbled Godwit
303 Bartram Sandpiper Upland Sandpiper
367 Band-tailed Pigeon
17 Carolina Turtle Dove Mourning Dove
291 Herring Gull
313 Blue-winged Teal
229 Scaup Duck Greater Scaup
76 Virginian Partridge Northern Bobwhite
5 Wild Turkey (hen)
1 Wild Turkey (cock)
346 Black-throated Diver Common Loon
121 Snowy Owl
411 Common American Swan
221 Mallard Duck Mallard
381 Snow Goose
41 Ruffed Grouse
232 Hooded Merganser
301 Canvas backed Duck Canvasback
201 Canada Goose
327 Shoveller Duck Northern Shoveller
206 Wood Duck
Most of the prints are in exceptional condition, excepting only that
margins are very narrow on the full sheet prints. Perhaps this is a
sign that the prints were from a bound copy. They are matted and
framed very plainly. I did not have my copy of Lowe's book with me
but I did notice one odd print - #381 Snow Goose did not appear to
have a part number or plate number. Consulting Lowe, later, she does
not record such a state.
Overall I was very pleased with the exhibit and felt fortunate to have
been able to see so many top-tier Havell's in one place.
If anyone wants more info about the Burlington area, please feel free
to contact me directly (
terry@jjaudubongallery.com).
