Item:  Offered for sale here is an original artist-signed (pencil signed and numbered) print by Benson Bond Moore (Am., 1882-1974).  This example is an etching from the edition of 50, hand colored by the artist, and depicts Florida birds originating from Asia (China), the Red Golden Pheasant and Female Pheasant, perched in trees.  Framed, matted and under glass – not examined out of framing.  It looks to be ca. 1940’s.  From Dec. 8, 1994 to January 18, 1995, the exhibition “Benson Bond Moore’s Works On Paper” was held at The George Washington University Dimock Gallery in Washington, D.C.  I have a copy of the catalog, where Margaret Dwyer discusses the print “White Pelicans after a Bath”.  I use the findartinfo site as a wholesale price reference on Moore prints.  His waterfowl prints sell for up to 550 USD and prints of other subjects such as Potomac-area landscapes fetch up to 450 USD at auction.  Personally, I love Moore’s wildlife prints of birds, especially Florida birds.  All items are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee which assures buyers that they’ll receive the item and it’ll be as-described (I also insure all packages just to be safe).  There is a handling fee for this item (10 USD) which goes towards packing materials and USPS insurance cost.  PLEASE SEE MY EBAY STORE FOR A NICE SELECTION OF ART, ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES. 

Wildlife & Florida Work:  Benson Bond Moore was friend of Florida Senator Duncan Upshaw Fletcher (1859-1936), the politician responsible for introducing legislation (in 1928) to create Everglades National Park.  The two were likeminded men as Moore was a member of The Ramblers sketch club (aka The Landscape Club of Washington, D.C.) and the club’s headquarters was in Senator Fletcher’s private residence at 1221 Fifteenth Street NW from ca. 1919-1929.  Benson Bond Moore did his first prints of Florida birds circa mid-1920’s and continued on that path for about 50 years.  Moore moved to Florida permanently by mid-century.  As for The Ramblers club, they are today known as The Washington Society of Landscape Painters.  Moore had been making sketches of wildlife since childhood… as a boy he’d regularly show up with his sketchbook at the National Zoo in Rock Creek Park.

Overview:  Now that you have a little background on Benson Bond Moore as it relates to “the Florida connection”, I’ll briefly discuss other details relating to Moore’s career in graphic arts (works on paper).  I think of the artist as being much like Frank W. Benson as the two men did both traditional etchings with an emphasis on wildlife subjects, but were also masterful American Impressionist painters in oil.  A great starting point to view many prints by Benson Moore is the page devoted to him on the Smithsonian American Art Museum site.  Moore had studied at The Corcoran School of Art, privately with painter Max Weyl, and at The Linthicum Institute (drawing) in Georgetown.  By 1902, Moore was working for the Maurice Joyce Photo Engraving Company in Washington, D.C.  In these early years, Moore worked for Alexander Graham Bell making illustrative drawings for inventions.  He also did drawings for the inventor of the gramophone (Dr. Emile Berliner), and for the Smithsonian.  An expert printmaker, Moore was hired as an Instructor by artist Clara Hill to teach etching at her Hill School of Art (locations at DuPont Circle and later on H Street, N.W.).  In 1928, Moore had a one-man (solo) show of his etchings, drawings and lithographs at The Corcoran.  As for publications, many of his wildlife works appeared in The Evening Star’s “Nature’s Children” series as well as The Smithsonian’s “Scientific Series”.

Exhibitions & Memberships:  In 1996, the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts exhibit titled: "The Landscapes of Benson Bond Moore" was held in Hagerstown, Maryland.  During his lifetime, Moore was a Member of many art organizations and he exhibited with them.  They include the American Artists Professional League, New Haven Paint & Clay Club, Society of Washington Artists (DC), Southern States Art League, Washington DC Watercolor Society/Association, etc.  Moore’s work is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.