Carnegie Mellon University - Andrew Carnegie Online Archives

An unsigned typescript letter from Andrew Carnegie to William Jacob Holland discussing the diplodocus carnegii replicas to be presented as gifts to Spain and Argentina and the discovery in Utah by Carnegie Museum paleontologists of what, according to Holland's description, was the largest and most complete dinosaur to be found to date in the United States.

A typescript letter from David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University, to Andrew Carnegie concerning funding for Dr. Carl H. Eigenmann, professor of Zoology and dean of the Graduate School of the University of Indiana, for his exploration of the Panama region of South America. Jordon writes that Eigenmann had been studying the rivers of northern South America, ""under the auspices of the Carnegie Museum"". He writes that Eigenmann wants to do work in the Panama region ""to note the animals of the streams of the two sides of the isthmus before the canal pours them all together and destroys all future possibilities of a study of their distribution"". Per Eigenmann's request, Jordan writes that he has ""inadvertently drawn upon funds"" from Dr. W.J. Holland, Director of the Carnegie Museum, that Eigenmann was expecting to use. Jordon then states that Eigenmann has already left for the Atrato River in northern Colombia. Includes penciled notation at top of letter.

Typescript letter. E.G. Gage, president of Olivet College (Mich.), writes to Andrew Carnegie to offer the loan of a unique specimen of fused whale vertebrae to Carnegie Museum. He judges its current location, in the Olivet College Biological Museum to be unsafe, and that the specimen could be better seen and appreciated at Carnegie Museum.

A signed typescript letter from Harrison Morris to James Bertram, written in response to Bertram's letter of November 28th. Morris explains that he recommended William Chase to copy Thomas Sully's painting of Judge Ross for the Carnegie Institute because he was under the impression that Mr. Carnegie wanted the copy to be a distinctive work of art which would gain in value by reason of its painter. Morris now suggests commissioning Hugh H. Breckenridge, a Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Schools instructor, to prepare the copy.

A typescript letter (signed) from John W. Beatty to Andrew Carnegie. Beatty places the blame for the controversy over the bust of John Paul Jones on Frank D. Millet. In a handwritten postscript, Beatty mentions that the annual exhibition will include twenty-one works by Winslow Homer.

A typescript letter from John W. Beatty to Andrew Carnegie concerning a photograph of a portrait of Andrew Carnegie painted by Edward A. Walton. Beatty writes that he has delayed answering Carnegie's letter of November 24, 1911 because he received a letter from Edward A. Walton informing him that he mailed a photograph of Carnegie's portrait (presumably the portrait Walton painted of Carnegie commissioned by St. Andrews University) and he intended to send it to the coming international exhibition (presumably the Carnegie International). The photograph was not received by the Carnegie Institute and Beatty asks Carnegie if he received it. Beatty writes that they would be ""delighted to receive Walton's portrait"" and remarks that they already have one of his ""important paintings"" in their ""permanent collection"". Mr. Walton expressed to Beatty his delight at visiting Carnegie at Skibo. Beatty concludes by writing that the exhibition next spring should be a ""fine"" one and the painter, John Lavery, from Ireland, will furnish the ""special honor group"".

Typescript letter (carbon copy). John Beatty sends Andrew Carnegie a bill for a collection of bronze reproductions from the ""Naples Museum"" (unidentified), contracted for on his behalf by Edward E. Ayer two years earlier, with instructions for payment. He asks that the original contract be returned for the office files. Enclosures not included.

Typescript letter. Beatty, like Carnegie, admires Scottish painter William McTaggart, and tried to visit him on his last trip to Scotland. He reminds Carnegie that the William Walls painting , mentioned in Carnegie's letter of Jan. 20, was in fact exhibited at the Carnegie Institute in 1896.

A signed typescript letter from John Beatty to Andrew Carnegie informing him about the travel plans of Alfred East, President of the Royal Society of British Artists, who is coming to the U.S. to serve as a member of the international jury of award for the upcoming annual Carnegie Institute art exhibition. Holland requests that Carnegie obtain a Lotus (aka Lotos) Club card for East and, if possible, spend some time with him. Beatty also notes that the other foreign member of the jury this year will be Dutch painter G.H. Breitner.

Typescript letter (carbon copy). John Beatty reports that the annual art exhibition at Carnegie Institute is successful and well attended. He is sending a catalog.