Singer reception

Above: The beauty of Botanica Magnifica was on display during the event

Below: Guests enjoy a rare opportunity to view an Audubon

On June 10, around 70 guests gathered for “Afternoon Tea with Audubon,” an event celebrating the gift of a double-elephant folio facsimile of John J. Audubon’s Birds of America to the Libraries.

This impressive and valuable work, published by Robert E. Abrams of Abbeville Press, and donated by Jonathan Singer, resides in the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History in the National Museum of Natural History. In addition to a private viewing of this rare book, guests of the tea also got an up-close glance at Jonathan Singer’s famed Botanica Magnifica and the original printed folio of Audubon’s Birds of America.

Singer, Smithsonian research scientist and botany curator John Kress, and the Libraries’ own Leslie Overstreet, Daria Wingreen-Mason and Diane Shaw were on-hand to show attendees the three double-elephant folios and answer questions. Libraries Director Nancy E. Gwinn, Associate Director of the Museum of Natural History Hans Sues, and Jonathan Singer spoke at the event.—Liz O'Brien