About Princeton Audubon Prints
How to authenticate a Princeton print.
Princetons are absolutely exact documents of the actual originals, and often confused as such. How can I tell that my print is an authentic Princeton and not an Audubon original? Being direct camera productions, Princetons have the same feel and look of the Originals. Side by side you cannot tell the difference with the naked eye. However, most Princetons sold from our offices have the embossed Princeton seal at the lower right and the edition number penciled in at the lower left.
The paper is Mohawk Superfine Cover Stock which is specially toned to match the average tone of the existing originals. The paper is not heavy such as that of a giclee, but strong and firm such as the actual original Whatman paper. There is no plate mark, false plate mark, or counter mark on a Princeton.
Further, Princetons are printed on a 300 line, meaning that 300 points of ink fit along a one-inch line. This is exceptional printing far beyond common reproductions. You will need a high-powered loupe to distinguish these dots.
What do the experts say?
"With their astounding detail, definition, and color, the Princeton direct-camera facsimiles have long set the standard in Audubon Birds of America lithographs." - Louise Mirrer, The New-York Historical Society. "True prints, true colors, incredible detail. Princetons are simply the finest Audubon facsimiles ever produced!” - William Steiner, Audubon print collector and author of Audubon Prints: A Collector’s Guide To Every Edition. "Of all the Audubon reproductions, Princetons come the closest in appearance and quality to the originals." Chris Lane, guest appraiser on PBS Antiques Roadshow. "Princeton Audubons stand above all other modern offset facsimile reproductions. The colors are bright, fresh and natural looking, and the amount of detail seen in the images is extraordinary." - Audubon expert Ron Flynn.
As seen in ...
The Royal Society of London, where John James Audubon was a Fellow, displays our prints in Chicheley Hall, a 300-year-old estate in Buckinghamshire, England which serves as the International Science Conference Center. A paper conservator addressed the crumbling portion of an original Havell Wood Duck by using the corresponding section of ours. Additionally, The New York Times featured our Purple Heron when rolling out their original online store. And Martha Stewart Living framed and featured our Snowy Owl. Universities have added our entire collection to their acquisitions. You can display these same prints in your home or office.
Princeton specifications.
Double elephants (life size - 26 1/4 x 39 1/4) •Limited edition of 1500. •Pencil-numbered and embossed with the Princeton Audubon Limited seal. •Up to 11 color plates used. •Specially developed fade-proof inks. Absolute color fidelity to the actual original. •Printed on a 300 line. •Very heavy archival paper which is recommended by the Library of Congress for archives and is specially toned to match the actual color of the antique originals. •Registered to purchaser. •As permanently displayed at The Royal Society of London, to which Audubon belonged as a Fellow.