Benson Bond Moore papers
name: label: Creator
content: Moore, Benson Bond, 1882-1974
label: Names
content: Society of Animal Artists
label: Names
content: Washington Landscape Club
label: Names
content: Berryman, Clifford Kennedy, 1869-1949
label: Names
content: Bransom, Paul, 1885-
label: Names
content: Clark, Herbert F.
label: Names
content: Cornett, Robert G.
label: Names
content: Lowe, James Russell
label: Names
content: Lyon, Rowland, 1904-
label: Names
content: Rolle, A. H. O. (August H. O.), 1875-1940
label: Names
content: Sayre, Francis Bowes, 1885-1972
label: Names
content: Seaton, Charles
place: label: Place
content: New York (State)
topic: label: Topic
content: Landscape painting -- 20th century -- Washington (D.C.)
label: Topic
content: Relief (Sculpture)
label: Topic
content: Artists -- Washington (D.C.)
label: Topic
content: Etchers -- Washington (D.C.)
label: Topic
content: Landscape painters -- New York (State)
label: Topic
content: Printmakers -- Washington (D.C.)
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Benson Bond Moore papers were donated by Barbara Nikla and John J. Lyons in 1996, as representatives of the estate of the artist's sister-in-law, Mary Jane Moore. Additional material was donated 1997 from the estate by other relatives, Martha Sigmon and her sister Georgia King.
creator: label: Creator
content: Moore, Benson Bond, 1882-1974
setName: label: See more items in
content: Benson Bond Moore papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of printmaker and landscape painter Benson Bond Moore date from 1902 to 1995 and measure 5.7 linear feet. Found within the papers are biographical material, letters, scattered personal business records, notes and writings, twelve scrapbooks, printed material, and photographs. The papers also contain extensive artwork in the form of drawings and sketches, etchings, lithographs, and a few oil paintings.
bioghist: label: Biographical Note
content: Benson Bond Moore (1882-1974) of Washington, D.C. and Sarasota, Florida, was a printmaker, landscape painter, art teacher, and picture restorer.

Benson Bond Moore was born on August 13, 1882 in Washington, D.C., the first child of Caroline and John Benson Moore. From an early age, Moore assisted his father in his picture restoring business. In 1902, he was employed by the Maurice Joyce Photo-Engraving Co., and soon afterwards produced a series of technical drawings for Alexander Graham Bell.

Moore studied at the Corcoran School of Art, and, in 1914, he joined The Ramblers (later the Washington Landscape Club), a group of artists who went on painting and drawing expeditions in the environs of Washington, D.C. Moore taught etching at the private Hill School of Art and was an active member of many regional art associations. He was also a founding member of the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society. Following the death of his wife Florence (Flossie) in the early 1950s, Moore moved to Sarasota, Florida.

Benson Bond Moore died on October 30, 1974 in Sarasota, Florida.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 5.7 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1902-1995
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.moorbens
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Etchings
label: Type
content: Christmas cards
label: Type
content: Paintings
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Travel sketches
label: Type
content: Sketches
label: Type
content: Poems
label: Type
content: Awards
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Prints
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 8 series:

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1908-1974 (Box 1; 6 folders)

Series 2: Letters, 1912-1993 (Box 1; 40 folders)

Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1924-1994 (Box 1-2; 0.7 linear feet)

Series 4: Notes and Writings, 1902-1974 (Box 2; 8 folders)

Series 5: Art Work, 1904-1991 (Box 2-4, 6, OV 8; 2.2 linear feet)

Series 6: Scrapbooks, 1919-1973 (Box 4, 7; 0.9 linear feet)

Series 7: Printed Material, 1916-1995 (Box 5-6, OV 8; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 8: Photographs, 1924-1971 (Box 5-7, OV 8; 0.7 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was arranged and preserved in July 1997 by Jean Fitzgerald, and a finding aid created in 2010.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Etchings
label: Genre/Form
content: Christmas cards
label: Genre/Form
content: Paintings
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Travel sketches
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketches
label: Genre/Form
content: Poems
label: Genre/Form
content: Awards
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
label: Genre/Form
content: Prints
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Content Note
content: The papers of printmaker and landscape painter Benson Bond Moore date from 1902 to 1995 and measure 5.7 linear feet. Found within the papers are biographical material, letters, scattered personal business records, notes and writings, twelve scrapbooks, printed material, and photographs. The papers also contain extensive artwork in the form of drawings and sketches, etchings, lithographs, and a few oil paintings.

Biographical material includes genealogical notes, biographical accounts, a baptismal record, marriage license, driver's license, membership cards, an award medal and ribbons, a death certificate, and address books.

Letters are incoming only from friends and colleagues, including Christmas cards from Clifford K. Berryman, Paul Bransom, James Russell Lowe, Rowland Lyon, and Francis Bowes Sayre. There is also a photocopy of a letter from Lou Henry Hoover.

Personal business records include a copy of a patent for Moore's design for an artist's kit, a deed for Moore's father's gallery, priced labels for art work in various media, lists of art work, price lists, records of art work sold, bank account records, miscellaneous receipts, and a ledger concerning Moore's works left in trust after his death.

Notes and writings consist of nine poems by Moore, lists of titles of art work sold, lists of art work by others, and a funeral registry book listing mourners' names. The most notable item in this series is a log book of The Ramblers containing a typescript describing the history of this early 20th century art club.

Art work comprises the most significant series in the collection. It includes 1040 drawings, 43 watercolor sketches, 526 etchings, 187 lithographs, 8 paintings and 5 relief sculptures. Subjects depicted are primarily wildlife and nature, landscapes, seascapes, and scenes of towns and notable buildings primarily in and around Washington, D.C. There are scattered portrait drawings and etchings by Moore of fellow artists Herbert F. Clark, Robert G. Cornett, August H. O. Rolle, and Charles Seaton. There are also 5 bas-relief sculptures. 

Twelve scrapbooks contain prints by Moore, letters, printed materials, and photographs of Moore and his artwork. Scrapbook 10 contains a photograph of a Landscape Club banquet at the Cosmos Club. 

Printed material consists of clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, a prospectus from the Society of Animal Artists, book Animals of American History illustrated by Paul Bransom, miscellaneous booklets and brochures concerning art-related topics, travel brochures for New York State, and reproductions of art works.

Photographs are of Benson Bond Moore, his family, residence, colleagues including members of The Ramblers painting outdoors, and of art work. There are also travel photographs of locations in the United States.
separatedmaterial: label: Separated Material
content: Printmaking tools, lithographic plates, and a 24 x 30 inch display board exhibiting specimen prints and plates and a pocket barometer were transferred to the National Museum of American History, Department of Information Technology and Society.