Transcription
April 19th, 1919.
Mr. Harry L. George,
St. Joseph, Mo.,
Dear sir:-
Replying to your favor of the 18th inst., I dislike very much to split up the collection Mr. George, it had been my intention to let the majority of it go as a whole, but as I told you I could sell the bundle to the Peabody Museum in proof of what I said is evidenced by the attached letter by their Curator of Feby. 20th, I would be willing to eliminate the war bundle and send it to the Peabody Museum, I also sold them my Osage bundle.
This would leave the pictograph in your hands, the Flying shield and the quirt. Now on the flying shield I would want that to go with the Osage shield and the Crow shield, and would be willing to let you have it at just what it cost me which was $35.00 in pieces that represented that amount. The quirt I will let you have at $8.00, which is the very best price I could make and do so only to let them go in a bunch. Now in regard to the other pieces that I have and which you wanted. They consist of the Osage buffalo shield which I would not sell for less than $100.00. The Crow pictograph shield which I willlet go for $40.00. The spear with scalps on it at $20.00. I also have another skin "Sioux shield" with pictograph on it which you did not see when you were here, it being packed away, this has could designs and swallows painted on it in blue and green and I will let it go at $15.00, also one left stick which is different than any I have sold you, "saw tooth notches" which I will let go at $10.00.
In disposing of the above pieces, I will accept the basket which I now have on hand and the other one that you mentions that has the salmon berry coloring in the design work and not so light as the other so far as the back ground is concerned, deducting from the total and the balance to be in cash.
I feel that I am doing pretty well by you in letting you have the above pieces Mr. George, I had at one time decided that I would never sell them, and I have made you prices that are practically cost to me. That Osage shield I originally paid $100.00 for myself.
If you wish to have me forward you the other pieces I will do so, and please return the attached letter from Mr. Willoughby, so that I can refer to it in taking the matter up with him further.
Should you decide that you can use the war bundle at all now would be your time to decide while you have it as I expect to start negotiations with Mr. Willoughby if you do not want it. I feel that Mr. Willoughby would pay me $100.00 easily for it. and if you wish to consider the matter further before I take it up with him I would let you have the bundle at $90.00 if taken with the other pieces.
In regard to the baskets, if I were purchasing baskets it would be with the same idea as yourself of procuring those that showed the art of the maker and not from the fact that they were new and pretty, and I believe my wife agrees with me in this.
Yours truly,
