Home / Silver and Golden Age Railroad Art and Ephemera / BEN DEDEK PAINTING OF C&O STREAMLINER LOCOMOTIVE #4000

BEN DEDEK PAINTING OF C&O STREAMLINER LOCOMOTIVE #4000

23: BEN DEDEK PAINTING OF C&O STREAMLINER LOCOMOTIVE #4000

Benjamin J. Dedek (1896-1973)
Chesapeake & Ohio Streamliner 4000 (1950)
This finely executed watercolor and tempera with airbrush depicting 4000 rolling through a riverside landscape is painted on Hi-Art Artist's Illustration Board and signed by Ben Dedek lower left.

Delivered in 1951, this C&O locomotive is one of 31 E8s built to pull the railroad's premiere passenger trains such as the George Washington. It was delivered in this color scheme at a time when the railroad was run by the flamboyant Robert Young who made many promises to improve passenger service. Despite these improvements, passenger ridership rapidly declined in the 1950s. A similar color scheme was applied to F7s made in around the same time, but it didn't last long and by 1953 the F7s and E8s had been repainted to a slightly simpler scheme, probably a reflection of the declining ridership. Although this painting is signed by Ben Dedek, GM stylist Harry Bockewitz did a similar painting of an E8 locomotive in exactly the same scheme. Bockewitz's locomotive does not have a number, suggesting his painting was done earlier.
Measures 14.25 x 21.25 inches.
Very good original untouched condition. There are no issues of major scratches, losses, repairs, in-painting or touch-up, noting a very faint moisture stain extreme upper left corner.
Provenance: The Fred Roniger Estate Collection.
$500 - $5,000

Silver and Golden Age Railroad Art and Ephemera

Saturday, March 11th 2023


SOLD - $1,500

Sold Price does not include Buyer's Premium