21: THOMAS HART BENTON (1889-1975) PENCIL SIGNED LITHOGRAPH

Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975)
Morning Train (a.k.a. The Station) (1929)
Benton's first lithograph, circulated by Delphic Studios in an edition of only 110 prints or fewer, is signed by the artist in pencil lower right, and titled lower left. It is numbered 1 in the Creekmore Fath catalog raisonne where it is listed with the alternate titles of Oklahoma, Edge of the Plains and Train in the Station.


The number of prints pulled for this edition has been listed at 100 by some sources and 110 by others (including Creekmore Fath). Whatever the number, there is some speculation that the edition may not have been fully realized. Online records document only seven examples of this image at auction since 1988, compared to Benton's other top, most sought after images also said to be in editions of 100 which have appeared fifteen to twenty-three times in this same period. Jesse James which was published in an edition of only 100 prints sold in this auction room for $26,400.00 earlier this year. Another from an edition of only 100, Huck Finn has sold for as much as $25,000.00. The print offered in this lot is considered harder to find than either of these,


Benton's comments in Fath regarding this image read: First lithograph. From a drawing made at Enid Oklahoma in 1926 when I made a trip in a Model T Ford from Springfield, MO. to Taos, N.M. stopping on the way at the new oil towns of the Texas panhandle.
The unframed sheet size measures 11.25 x 14.5 inches and the image measures 5.75 x 6.125 inches.
Very, very good condition, the complete sheet with very wide margins and deckle edge on all four sides, not laid down, no stain, damage or repair.
$8,000 - $10,000