UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

System Number: 00504
Date: 19 June 1895
Author: John Caldwell^[1]
Place: Edgewood Park, PA
Recipient: Edward Guthrie Kennedy^[2]
Place: London
Repository: Glasgow University Library
Call Number: MS Whistler C5
Document Type: ALS

June 19th 1895

My dear Mr Kennedy,

I have the great pleasure of being informed by your brother^[3] that if "you will send your Coat of arms, to my brother in London Mr Whistler will do the bookplate^[4]." This pleasure like all others in this world is tempered by the fact, Alas! that I am too poor to have a "coat of arms" having to spend all my spare cash in trying to secure a complete set of Mr Whistlers etchings - not to say anything about the purchase of the books which are to be honored by Mr Whistlers book plate

[p. 2] Seriously: I am too good a republican to have such a thing as a coat of arms and I shall be not only quite content to have a book plate without it - but I shall be proud and happy, to have any any kind of a drawing suitable for a book plate from such a master. Mr Whistler[s] imprint will give it all the dignity and me all honor and pleasure that we deserve,

You know my taste - my fondness for both books & pictures and if Mr Whistler would care to express this in the design for the plate, I should feel very happy indeed -

I trust I am not putting you too too great a trouble - but in any case you are only adding to the many obligations I am already under to you - amongst others that of being able to sign myself..

Your Sincere friend

John Caldwell

Edgewood Park, Allegheny Co
Pa

Mr E G Kennedy
25 Garrick St
Covent Garden London.

This document is protected by copyright.

Notes:

1.  John Caldwell
John Caldwell, Board Chairman, Carnegie Art Galleries [more].

2.  Edward Guthrie Kennedy
Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932), dealer with H. Wunderlich and Co., New York [more].

3.  your brother
David A. Kennedy, New York dealer, brother of E. G. Kennedy [more].

4.  bookplate
As far as is known, JW did not design a bookplate for Caldwell.