PAUL MANSHIP
$700.00
47597-1
A superlative grouping of material by Manship, includes five T.L.S.'s, an original pencil sketch, a signed photo of one of his statues, and a grouping of retained copies of letters to him as well as several catalogs of his works. The letters, each 1p. 4to. , New York, 1938, are all written to Max Safron in St. Louis and concern Manship's potential design and creation of an equestrian statue of Gen. John Pershing. They read, in part: "[Apr. 22]...[Portrait artist] Leopold Seyffert has suggested to me that I write you...proposing me to do an equestrian statue of General Pershing. I am naturally very much interested...Do you suggest that I come to St. Louis to see you...[Apr. 29]...I am glad to send you some photographs of my work...to have you show them to the Committee of the Soldiers Memorial...examples of my work may be seen in the St. Louis Museum...[Oct. 3]...I have just returned from Europe...I should be glad to see you when you come to New York...[Oct. 25]...I will get hold of Seyffert -- I want to see his painting of the General. I will make some sketches of an equestrian statueof General Pershing...impossible to intelligently solve the problem without exactly understanding the setting for the statue...it would be interesting for me to make a portrait study of General Pershing to be used in connection with this work. I have met the General, and I think that he remembers me in a friendly way...[Nov. 1]...I have received...photographs showing the St. Louis Memorial Plaza...It would be practically impossible to make a proper model of this statue between now and Armistice Day...a collection of photographs of great equestrian could be got together to demonstrate what has been done...to commemorate otherGenerals...[they] cost in the neighborhood of $75,000 to $100,000, the latter sum taking care of the contruction of the foundations and pedestal...I would rather be commissioned only to furnish the bronze statue...three years is a proper time to allow..." More fine content. Also included are eleven 7" x 9" or larger photos of various statues by Manship, one showing the Soldier's Monument at the American Cemetary at Thiancourt, France, so noted by Manship on the verso and signed by him twice, with a photo of a shield-bearing warrior bearing a pencil sketch of a statue on verso, with two other simpler sketches, two catalogs of Manship's works, and copies of letters from Safron to Manship. Overall very good. We have been unable to determine whether Manship ever completed the project -- the last letter from Safron to Manship is dated Dec. 8, 1938. EBAY 400