One of the world's most valuable books goes on display in Glasgow

One of the world's most valuable books goes on display in Glasgow36 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMarta LeshykJamie Simpson/Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of GlasgowTwo volumes of Birds of America by John James Audubon are going display in GlasgowAn exhibition spotlighting one of the world's most valuable rare books has opened in Glasgow.Two volumes of Birds of America by John James Audubon are on show to the public at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG), which has owned the art treasures for two centuries.The college purchased the two first-edition volumes in 1838 for £48, equivalent to the annual wages of a skilled labourer at the time.There are thought to be just 120 complete volumes known to have existed and a library in Liverpool recently revealed its copy was insured for £7.5m.Jamie Simpson/Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of GlasgowEach page contains the hand-coloured etching of a life-size birdIt is rare for the public to be able to glimpse the book which contains life-size, meticulously hand-coloured images of more than 200 species of birds native to North America in the early 19th Century.The book, which recently featured as a major plot device in Mackenzie Crook's BBC comedy Small Prophets, is seen by experts as the "absolute pinnacle of ornithological art".Each page measures 3ft (99cm) by 2ft (66cm) and, due to its size, it takes at least two people to turn the page without damaging it.Because of this only one of the plates can be displayed at a time.Kirsty Anderson/Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of GlasgowClaire McDade is the heritage lead at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in GlasgowThe idea of the exhibition was born two years ago when the Claire McDade, the heritage lead at RCPSG, spotted the two volumes of the book in college's library.She said: "I remember being astounded to discover we had this world treasure right here."I m...