Ned Smith (1919-1985) in his 46 year career specialized in astonishingly accurate drawings and paintings of wildlife for books, magazines and limited edition prints. His original paintings command prices in excess of $60,000 and some of his most popular prints exceed $5,000. Over the years, he created 120 cover paintings for the "Pennsylvania Game News." His columns, articles and art appeared in "Sports Afield, National Wildlife, National Geographic" and other magazines. He illustrated 14 books including the Peterson series Field Guide to Birds' Nests. In 1983, he created Pennsylvania's first ever state duck stamp and did a second design two years later. This original art is ink and gray watercolor w/white accents. It is framed w/non-glare glass to 19.5x27" and double-matted w/11-7/8x18.75" image area. Signed "Ned Smith" at lower right. Smith created this art for an article he wrote for the October 1978 (Vol. 49 No. 10) issue of "Pennsylvania Game News" titled "New Hope For The Peregrines." Art comes w/the clipped magazine front cover and complete article (w/some inked notes by the art's purchaser on the contents page). Art appeared on page two opposite the first page of his article on page three. His caption on page three for the art shown on page two reads: "A Peregrine In Immature Plumage 'Mantles' His Prey, An Indication Of His Unwillingness To Share It With The Other Young Peregrine Flashing By." Art was purchased directly from Ned Smith by Theodore R. Hake, the father of Hake's founder Ted Hake, shortly after the magazine's publication. T.R.H. was an accomplished ornithologist and a friend of Ned Smith w/the two of them sharing numerous birding field trips over several decades. T.R.H. noted the date and cost of his purchase on the inside front of the clipped magazine cover as well as on the backing paper of the framed art. The art is Mint as created. This is a large and beautifully executed original w/the always popular subject of the fastest flying animals in the world, peregrine falcons (capable of achieving speeds of 242 MPH in a dive), by a famous wildlife artist whose original art is rarely offered for sale. From the Ted Hake Collection. Comes with Hake's COA.