June 19, 1933 Mrs. Charles M. Russell Belton, Montana Dear Nancy, "A Bronc to Breakfast" arrived safely Saturday morning. It is indeed a knockout. I do not blame you for being so enthusiastic about it. I immediately got busy shifting paintings to give it the central place over the mantelpiece in the room where most of the paintings hang. Somehow it seems to deserve this honor for more reasons than one. It is not only a knockout of a painting but also has that humorous character touch about it which sort of sets it apart from the other things. Shifting paintings is no small job in this room of ours. One shift means many more to follow and many hours of ladder climbing combined with much scheming and planning. How- ever, it is the thing in life I get the most kick out of. I would rather be doing this than almost anything I can think of . Once again I want to thank you for picking this up for me. It is as you said one of the treasures of the collection and helps lift the whole lot in every way. I am enclosing herewith my check for $5,200.00. As our correspondence will show, your letter of May 22nd asked me if I would be interested in this painting for $6,000.00. My reply of the 26th offered $5, 000 00 for it including express charges, packing, insurance, etc. Your telegram of June 2nd asked me if I would pay $5,200.00 for it, to which I replied on the same date saying that I would pay $5,200.00 net. Your letter of the 9th made no further mention of price but yours of the 12th mentions that in order to facilitate delivery you had paid to W. J. Burns & Co., brokers in Los Angeles, $58.07. The picture arrived at Tarrytown with $21.41 collect charges on it. I had to pay this to get the picture delivered. It will be agreeable for me to take care of this amount. However, I do not feel that I should be called on to pay the $58.07 which you paid to get it sent to you from Canada. I assume that you will be agreeable to this. I have not overlooked your saying that the seller of the painting wants the payment in Canadian funds. I am disregarding this request to pay in Canadian funds much against my inclination. According to the quotation today it would save me exactly $526.50 which would mean that my check to you would be $4,673.50 instead of $5,200.00. If the person who is selling this painting will accept Canadian funds please follow out his (or her) instructions sending him the proper amount[next] -2- Mrs. Charles M. Russell June 19, 1933 Belton, Montana and returning your check to me for the difference which should be in the neighborhood of $526.00. By the way, I would appreciate it as usual if you would let me know the name of the seller and also if possible the names of any previous owners of this painting. Also, as usual, I would like to have as much history and story as you can give me in connection with the painting. I am sure you know what I mean; under what circumstances it was painted, where the scene was laid and any remarks Charlie may have passed on it. I recall several years ago your telling me about some friend of Charlie's remarking that he never saw an unwrapped axqhandle[sic]---that they were invariably broken and how Charlie immediately[sic] recognized the truth of this and preceded to break and wrap the ax handle. These are days when I am not too anxious to be paying out big money. On the other hand I am as you know interested in the other paintings you are keeping an eye out for me such as Carson's Men, etc. I have made no approaches to Mrs. MacKay. There are several things in their collection which I naturally would love to own but I am sure that even though Mr. MacKay before he died had offered to sell me several of them Mrs. MacKay would overvalue them on account of not having to sell as well as because of Mr. MacKay's love for them. However, I assume that one of these days they will be turning up for sale. When they do I hope I will know about it before others do. Mr. MacKay actually approached me to make a sale in order to purchase other kinds of things which Mrs. MacKay preferred but his prices were too high for me to reach. As always, with every good wish, Sincerely, Dr. Philip G. Cole EB ENC. When I was signing this letter my secretary called my attention to your letter of June 9th in which you said you were leaving for Montana on the 20th and that Belton would be your postoffice[sic] after the 1st of July. I immediately telegraphed you as per the enclosed copy and re- ceived the enclosed notice from Western Union. I am therefore sending this letter and the check to Belton by registered mail in a few days so that it will arrive there on the 1st of July. I am also sending a copy of this letter to Pasadena in case you left other forwarding directions. Will you please send me a bill of sale for this painting as I will need it for my records. REGISTERED MAIL [Transcribed by Melynda Seaton, 2011-11-01]