Letter by Homer Britzman to James B. Rankin; discusses six illustrations that he owns which were published in "Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage". Typed on the front of two pages.

March 22nd, 1937. Mr. James B. Rankin 423 West 118th Street New York City. Dear Sir: Your letter which appeared in the New York Herald-Tribune has recently come to my attention. Some two years ago I purchased six illustrations made by Charles M. Russell for the book “FIFTEEN THOUSAND MILES BY STAGE”, published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in 1911, the author of which was Carrie Adell Strahorn. The six illustrations, or pictures which I have are washed drawings on art paper, and their subjects are as follows: 1. Picture Title: “Laughed at for his foolishness and shot dead by Slade.” Approximate location in the book: Pages 106-109 2. Picture Titled: “He tripped and fell into a den on a mother bear and her cubs” Approximate location in the book: Pages 321-322 3. Picture Title: “If ever I sent up an earnest prayer for help I did it then” Approximate location in the book: Pages 321-322 4. Picture Title: “Highwaymen run down a pedestrian only half a block from us” Approximate location in the book: Pages 399-400 5. Picture Title: “In the court of a wood merchant” Approximate location in the book: Page 403 6. This illustration was drawn for the book but was not published. It was drawn to illustrate the chapter titled “The Starting of Hailey”. This illustration was not published, Mrs. Russell tells me, be- cause the author was afraid it would offend, since it was a picture of a group of men who had hired a hearse to go to a party and all are plainly slightly inebriated. All of these pictures are approximately 13 x 17” in size. Three other illustrations from the same book and on the same general type- that is wash[marked out] drawings – were purchased by the Wells Fargo Bank & Trust [2] Mr. James B. Rankin Page # 2. Company of San Francisco for their collection on early Western subjects. The three they purchased all illustrated stage coach scenes. Trusting this information may be of some service to you, I am Very truly yours, H.E. Britzman HEB: fmb

[Transcribed by Lauren B. Gerfen, 2011-10-31]