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The richly illustrated 19th century book,
featuring more than 400 hand-colored illustrations of 1,037
life-size birds, was one of just 13 complete sets thought to be
remaining in private hands.
Christie's described the set as "among the most superlative
copies in private hands of the finest color-plate book ever
produced."
It said the price, paid by a buyer who wished to remain
anonymous, was the second highest sum paid for the book at
auction. Another of the complete sets went for $10.27 million in
2010.
Audubon's "The Birds of America" was first published as a series
in sections between 1827 and 1838 and represented his years-long
mission to find and paint all the known species of birds in
North America.
The book that was sold on Thursday was owned by U.S. businessman
and naturist Carl W. Knobloch Jr., who died in 2016. Proceeds
from the sale will benefit conservation of plants, animals and
natural habitats through the work of the Knobloch Family
Foundation.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant)
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