John Taylor Arms to Sir Frank Short 8 letters artist

Collection of letters from the artist John Taylor Arms to Sir Frank Short, President of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers.

1.
Autograph letter signed, 2 pages. 21.5 x 15.5cm. Printed address Mill Stones, Studio of John Taylor Arms, Greenfield hill, Fairfield, Conn
Dated March 26, 1932
My dear Sir Frank Short
I trust that you will not regard it as a presumption on my part in thus addressing you, but I understand that you were good enough to look with favor upon my recent candidacy for the Royal Society of Painter Etchers and Engravers and I wished personally to express to you my appreciation of your attitude. The fact of my failure of election has nothing whatever to do with my gratitude for your interest and I thought that you would not take amiss my earnest wish to voice this gratitude to you.
I have for twenty years been an ardent student of etching, as well as a very humble practitioner of the art, and during that time I have studied the work of all the leading contemporary printmakers as well as that of the older masters [..........]

2.
Two page autograph letter signed. 24 x 16cm. Light staining. Printed address as above.
Dated June 8th 1932
My dear Sir Frank Short
I seem to myself very remiss for not having sooner acknowledged your delightful and very welcome letter but many things have pressed upon me of late and my correspondence has, I fear, been sadly nedglected as a result.
It was most generous of you to write me as you did, for I feared that you would think it presuming of me, a total stranger, to write you as I did. But I have for so long admired your work and all that you stand for in the world of graphic art, that I could not resist the opportunity of paying to you the only tribute in my power - a frank personal expression of my admiration. [.........]

3.
One page typed letter signed. 24 x 16cm
Dated December 16th 1932
Dear Sir Frank
I hope you will not think me presuming in having just mailed you a little group of proofs from my publications of this year, and you will give me the greatest pleasure if you will permit me to look upon this small gift as a souvenir of oen of the happiest hours I have spent in a long time - that during which you welcomed and entertained me so cordially to your home. It was a rare privilege to have met you, and one I had long hoped would some day be mine. Now that i can look upon it as an actual experience I shall always treasure the memory of it.
[........]
The letter is stained and creased

4.
Two page typed letter signed with handwritten addition. 28 x 21.5cm. Creased with pinholes to the upper left corner
Dated March 7th 1933
[.....]
I assure you that the possession of one of your prints, sent me by you as a personal gift, wil be for me a most precious thing, and the print you send will occupy a place of honor on my studio wall. [.......]

5.
Two page autograph letter signed. 24 x 16cm. Pencil note at head - Sent 5 proofs 16 March 1935 [+ titles]. Pinholes to upper corner.
My dear Sir Frank
Pray forgive my delay in replying to your gracious letter of Janury sixth, in which you so warmly welcomed me to the ranks of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers. [....]
You very generously speak of offering me examples of your work in return for those i sent you, and I own to a keen feeling of embarrassment mingled with the pleasure your offer afforded me. [.....]

6.
Two page typed letter 28 x 21.5cm.  [signed in his absence]
Undated
Dear Sir Frank
I have been away on a lecture trip and have just returned to find you letter and the package containing five beautiful prints awaiting me, I hardly know what to say to yo and onnly wish that I could be in you studio, for I feel that I could express myself so much better face to face than I possibly can by letter.
[.....]
(I hope you will forgive the fact that this letter will have to be signed for me by my friend and assistant Mrs Hays, as she will type it after I have left for Canada. I could not possibly go away without writing to you, and expressing my thanks for you princely gift.)

7.
One page typed letter, signed 27 x 18.5cm. Creased
Dated February 14, 1938
My dear Sir Frank
[....]
We hope to sail for Europe on March 12th, taking our car with us so that we can drive through Southern France for about three weeks sketching on the way from Paris to Venice. [...] I shall certainly look forward to seeing you and your charming daughter before we start out to complete the sketching trip through England that we failed to finish two years ago when we were over. We will have about a month in England as we plan to sail for home on the 31st of May.
[..]

8.
One page typed letter, signed. Stained and browned. 27 x 18.5cm
Dated February 14 1939
My dear Sir Frank
[....]
I trust that all will go well with you during the coming year and that when 1940 rolls around it will bring with it the possibility of our again making a trip to Europe. As I said, the most we can look forward to is getting away every other year. meanwhile we are praying for world peace in this anxious time. You of course are closer to the European picture and probably know more of what it is all about, but there is great concern in this country about conditions in Europe.

+
8 page Catalogue of an exhibition of original etchings and drawings by John Taylor Arms, N.A., A.R.E., P.S.A.E. November 15 to 30 1938. Albert Roullier Art Galleries. Small printed illustration tippe to the front cover - this is a bit creased.

They will be sent in a board backed envelope.

Because of the manuscript content this is only available for sale to buyers within the UK.

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