Art Collecting

In the summer of 1988 Vicki decided we needed art on our walls. So we headed off search the art galleries on Madison Avenue in NYC.But the first art show we happened on was in a wine store - so we went in and were entranced - we started  buying some works on the walls: (Not all as illustrated below)

We came back the next year for more:

We also went to the artist's studio to purchase even more works. They now hang on the our dining room wall.

I also began collecting:

Thomas Hart Benton lithographs

(Not all as illustrated below) (and prices were much lower than the current prices listed.)
	A Drink of Water Lithograph, 1937, Fath 15, edition 250. 10 x 14 1/4 in. Signed on the stone and signed in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. This early work was based on a drawing done in the Ozarks. A painting of this subject also exists. $3,500
	Arkansas Evening (Nebraska Evening) Lithograph, 1941, Fath 45, edition 250. 10 x 13 in. Signed on the stone and signed in pencil, lower right. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full. The original AAA label accompanies this impression and it lists the title as "Arkansas Evening." A similar painting called "Nebraska Evening" was made in 1940. SOLD
	Cradling Wheat Lithograph, 1939, Fath 27, edition 250. 9 1/2 x 12 in. Signed on the stone, lower left. Signed in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is also fine. (This print came in the original AAA mat and the original hinges are still present.) The lithograph was done after a painting which is now in the St. Louis Art Museum. The scene depicted is the hill country of east Tennessee. $5,500
	Down the River Lithograph, 1938, Fath 33, edition 250. 12 1/2 x 9 15/16 in. Signed on the stone, lower right. Signed in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is fine and the print came with the original AAA mat and label. The scene depicted is somewhere along the White River in the Ozarks. This print is also called the Young Fisherman. $3,800
	Edge of Town Lithograph, 1938, Fath 22, edition 250. 9 x 10 3/4 in. Signed on the stone and signed in pencil lower right. A fine impression in fine condition with full margins. SOLD
	Frisky Day Lithograph, 1939, Fath 30, edition 250. 7 3/4 x 12 in. Signed on the stone, lower left. Signed in pencil. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full with a deckle edge on all sides. The scene depicted is south Missouri in the springtime. A painting exists of the same subject. $3,800
	Haystack Lithograph, 1938, Fath 21, edition 250. 10 1/4 x 12 3/4 in. Signed on the stone, lower left. Signed in pencil. Here we have a fine impression with full margins. The print came in the AAA mat and the original hinges are still at the top corners. The print was based on a drawing from 1928 and the subject is a North Carolina hill farm. $4,500
	Island Hay Lithograph, 1945, Fath 68, edition 250. 10 x 12 5/8 in. Signed on the stone, lower left. Signed in pencil, lower right. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. The scene depicted is on Martha's Vineyard, MA. This engaging print relates to a painting as well as a drawing, the latter produced during the 1920s. $3,800
	Lonesome Road Lithograph, 1938, Fath 18, edition 250. 9 3/8 x 12 1/2 in. Signed on the stone and signed in pencil, lower right. Here we have a fine impression with full margins. The condition is also fine. This print was based on a painting done in 1927. In addition, there's a related drawing which Benton drew from a train window while he was traveling in Nebraska. $3,000
	New England Farm Lithograph, 1951, Fath 172, edition 300. 9 x 13 3/4 in. Signed in pencil. A fine impression in very good condition. Full margins. Remains of old tape stains at corners of sheet, verso, and along the bottom edge, verso. The scene depicted here by Benton is on Martha's Vineyard, MA. SOLD
	Night Firing Lithograph, 1943, Fath 57, edition 250. 8 5/8 x 13 1/8 in. Signed on the stone, lower left corner. Signed in pencil, lower right. This is a fine impression with wide margins. The condition is fine other than for extremely faint toning from an early mat opening. Related to a drawing and painting, this dramatic night scene depicts a North Carolina subject. The shed is where tobacco is dried. SOLD
	Old Man Reading Lithograph, 1941 , Fath 44, edition 250. 10 x 12 1/8 in. Signed on the stone and signed in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. $4,000
	Planting Lithograph, 1939, Fath 28, edition 250. 9 7/8 x 12 5/8 in. Signed on the stone, lower right. Signed in pencil. Here we have a fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. (This print came in the original AAA mat with the original hinges at the top corners.) The print is based on a drawing from 1938 done in southern Arkansas. $3,500
	Prayer Meeting Lithograph, 1949, Fath 73; edition 300. 9 x 12 3/8 in. Signed on the stone and signed in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. This print was a study for a painting called "Wednesday Evening". The painting is in Springfield, Missouri at the Museum of Fine Arts. This is an uncommon print. SOLD
	Shallow Creek Lithograph, 1939, Fath 32, edition 250. 14 1/8 x 9 3/8 in. Signed on the stone, lower right. Signed in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. The small, original hinges are at the top corners and we have the AAA label which came with the print as issued. SOLD
	The Boy Lithograph, 1948, Fath 72, edition 250. 9 3/8 x 13 3/4 in. Signed on the stone, lower right. Signed in pencil. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are wide. This endearing print depicts an Ozark boy on his way to school or to find work. A painting exists of the same subject. SOLD
	The Corral Lithograph, 1948, Fath 71, edition 250. 9 5/8 x 13 7/8 in. Signed on the stone, lower right. Signed in pencil. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are wide. The scene depicted was in western Nebraska. A painting of this subject done in tempera on paper exists. $3,500
	The Farmer's Daughter Lithograph, 1944, Fath 62, edition 250. 9 3/4 x 13 1/4 in. Signed in pencil, lower right. Here we have a fine impression in fine, untouched condition. The margins are full. (The original AAA hinges still remain at the top corners.) This lovely work depicts a scene in northwest Missouri. A drawing dates from 1940 and a painting also preceded the lithograph. SOLD
	The Meeting Lithograph, 1941, Fath 47, edition 250. 11 1/2 x 8 7/8 in. Signed on the stone and signed in pencil. This is a fine impression in very good condition. The margins are full. (There is minor adhesive residue at top edge of sheet, barely discernible.) The print is based on a 1928 drawing. The scene is a meetinghouse in West Virginia. SOLD
	The Woodpile Lithograph, 1939, Fath 31, edition 250. 8 3/4 x 10 7/8 in. Signed on the stone and signed in pencil, lower right. This is a fine impression in very good condition. The margins have been trimmed to about 1" on all sides. This appealing work relates to a painting and the scene depicted is somewhere in Missouri. This is the only winter scene depicted among Benton's many lithographs. SOLD
	Threshing Lithograph, 1941, Fath 48, edition 250. 9 3/8 x 13 3/4 in. Signed in pencil, lower right. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are excellent with a deckle edge showing on the top and bottom and they are 1 1/2 inches on the sides. This important print relates to several preparatory drawings and the painting is now located in the Swope Art Museum in Indiana. Other Benton lithographs are currently available and we invite your inquiry. SOLD
	West Texas Lithograph, 1952, Fath 77, edition 300. 10 7/8 x 13 7/8 in. Signed and dated on the stone, lower left. Signed in pencil. This is a fine impression printed on white wove paper. The margins are wide and probably full and the condition is excellent. This scene depicts the Texas panhandle and it's the only print of Texas done by Benton. This exceptional work was based on a drawing from 1944 and was commissioned and circulated by Southern Methodist University. SOLD