Vintage oversized 10 x 13 formal seated portrait of Roosevelt by George Moffett of Chicago, dated in the lower right “1912,” signed along the top in fountain pen, “With the good wishes of Theodore Roosevelt.” In very good condition, with light staining along upper and lower edges just touching the tops of three letters in Roosevelt’s darkly penned, bold sentiment, a vertical crease from upper edge passing between “r” and “e” of signature, scattered light silvering (primarily to lower edge), uniform overall toning from prior framing, and a few light surface marks and spots.
George Moffett began his studio in 1905 as a partnership with Chicago real estate developer Evan Albert Evans; Evans ran the business, Moffett manned the camera. In 1907 Evans had a novel idea that would prove highly successful, allowing newspapers to publish their photographs for free in exchange for giving credit to the studio.
Roosevelt had sat for a Moffett portrait in New York in 1910, and when he attended the Republican Convention in Chicago in 1912, he again used Moffett, then the Convention’s official photographer. After controversy erupted in the convention hall, Roosevelt’s progressive Republicans formed a new political party and scheduled their own convention in the same city two months later. Again Moffett was employed to photograph the new Progressive Party’s convention. An excellent and powerful image, large and ready for display, and very uncommon in uninscribed form. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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