October 6, 1927 Mrs. Charles M. Russell, Great Falls, Montana Dear Nancy: Your letter of October 1st received this morning and I was glad to hear from you though sorry that you apparently have not been feeling so well. Frankly, I am both pleased and disappointed that you have given up the memorial exhibition. I am disappointed because I felt that it was going to be really one of the outstanding features of the season's art exhibition here, also that it would have added greatly toward keeping Charlie and his works in the public’s eye. I feel sure that you have a real duty before you in not allowing his publicity to wane . "Trails Plowed Under” will help a great deal, but you must do every other thing you can to keep his name and great reputation before the public. After all, here in the East are most of the people and most of the money, and Charlie is not as well known here as he is out West, nor is he really as well known as he should be. On the other hand, I am, of course, delighted that we do not have to remove our precious paintings from the walls of the new Russell Library. This for many reasons: One is, that it would be a real hardship for us not to have them to look at and talk over very evening and day of the week. Another is, that I am glad to avoid the possibility of any mishap coming to any of them. Finally, we naturally cannot help but hate the thought of more or less wrecking our beautiful new room for a whole month. On the whole, however, I am, for selfish reasons, relieved that you have decided to abandon the exhibition. I have been waiting to square up my account with you until you were here in the City, or until you asked for a settlement. I am ready to do so now, how- ever, upon word from you. According to our understanding as set forth in my letter of July 1st and confirmed by your reply of July 22, there is a final payment due you of $20,500.00 [next] 2nd Mrs. Charles M. Russell, October 6, 1927 Great Falls, Montana. in addition to the five paintings which have a trade-in value of $6500.00 . In my letter of July 1st I asked you if I might be allowed to substitute three water colors at $500.00 each for the water color "Prairie Pirates", which under the terms of our trade was valued at $1500.00. You re- plied in your letter of July 22 that you did not think there was any doubt about your being agreeable to doing this and asked me to wait until you could see them, inasmuch as all of the pictures were t o[sic] remain here anyway until the time of your being here for the exhibition. I can tell you frankly, I assure you, as a matter of fact, that the three water colors referred to are, at the prices named, much more liable to bring you this amount than would the little water color of “Prairie Pirates". As a matter of fact, I secured all four of these water colors from Mr. Schatz- lein at the same time, and as nearly as I can recall all four of them were valued at the same amount,so[sic] that you would be getting three pictures instead of one and any of the four are not so far apart in value. My reason for asking to make this exchange is that the three pictures do not harmonize in my room as well as the one would. As I told you in my letter, you can easily refer to the photographs of the pictures by looking in your album. The water colors referred to are the photographs numbered as follows in your album: No . 70 - "Red Cloud" 77 - "A Blood" (or possibly a Seminole made at the time Charlie was in Florida) 168 - "A Piegan on a Pony" ''Prairie Pirates” is also shown in your album. I do not happen to have the number at hand as I write , but you will find it. “Prairie Pirates", on a guess, is approxi- mately 12” x 9” while the three water colors are, on a guess, approximately 8” x 10” . These figures are not exact, but somewhere near right. I will expect to hear from you then in reply, and be prepared to close up the deal with you by a check and by forwarding -"The Buffalo Herd" "Indians on March in Snow'' "Tanning Hides” “The Travoy" “Red Cloud" “A Blood "Indian" “Piegan on Pony” to you at wherever you advise me. I presume you would rather have them sent to “Trails End" in Pasadena . I did for a time place all of these pictures with Mr. Babcock to see if he could sell any of them for you . [next] 3rd Mrs. Charles M. Russell, October 6, 1927 Great Falls, Montana. I wrote you about this. He did not dispose of any of them, but the time was possibly unfavorable and they were not with him long. At any rate, I would not want to assume any further responsibility for them once they are turned over to you. Our family had a very happy summer. We are all in the best of health. I do not think we will get out to California this winter. Am sorry we are not going to see you here. Please do not forget that you are al- ways to let me know when you hear of anything that you think might interest me. I have been turning down a number of inferior things offered to me by people mostly in the West who seem to think that anything that had Charlie's name on would interest me. We all join in best wishes to you. Sincerely yours, [signed] Philip G Cole [Transcribed by Melynda Seaton, 2011-10-31]