?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 700 - $ 1,000
BASKIN, LEONARD. Group of 5 Autograph Letters Signed, "Leonard" or "Lennie," to various recipients, expressing satisfaction at his having sold a copy of his book, [Horned Beetles and Other Insects (1958)], reporting no familiarity with Dr. A. Roos, requesting confirmation that he sold a work [at 'ART : USA : 59' exhibition held at the New York Coliseum beginning April 5, 1959], reporting completion of a wood carving entitled "Man with the Owl," sending photographs of an unidentified sculpture [not present], hoping that the buyer would allow Boris [Mirski Gallery] to show it, sending a bill for moving an unnamed work to New York [not present], complaining that the move interrupted his Boston exhibition [likely at Boris Mirski Gallery], sending a document to sign [not present], requesting a check, giving an address for ordering a catalogue of available Gehenna Press books, thanking for an appraisal, promising to complete some works, and requesting that he arrange a swap for a papal medal. Each 1 page, 8vo or small 4to, some on "Gehenna Press" stationery; faint uneven toning to second, folds. One with the original envelope. Vp, 1959-92
27 April 1959: "I had hoped that if you sold the insect book that we might arrive at a lesser commission, but since you sold it for $50 more than the published price, I am content. Don't feel contrite about your high price however, since the book is now virtually out of print, only 2 left, & they are sort of bespoke. . . . "I hear humbly that something of mine sold at the ART 59 USA. True? What? Tell grace I enjoyed her piece in the cat[alogue?]. "I finished the woodcarving of the 'Man with the Owl' & am loth to part with it. If you would like to have it in N.Y.C. tell me." 30 October 1960: ". . . [T]he world's worst photos . . . give a notion of the sculpture. If the very dark ones are held against a very strong light, much more is revealed. "I certainly hope that Mrs. [Albert A.] List, if she buys the piece, will let Boris show it. Tell her it would be a bigger mitzvah than the a.f.a. visiting her pad." 20 November 1960: ". . . I think this properly is Mrs. List's affair, since the piece was brought to NYC at her convenience. ". . . I am in no mood to be sporting . . . with her. Her capricious desire for her new bauble for her reception knocked the genitals so to speak out of my Boston show. . . ." 19 October 1992: ". . . Directly I finish the holocaust maquettes[;] I will model mourning weeds. The Henri IV is by Danfries[?], an interest'g late 16th C engraver. The medal was recast in 1930 but y'r model seems period. Try to arrange a swap for that papal medal with Ross."
