Skip to Main Content Skip to Header Menu Skip to Main Menu Skip to Category Menu Skip to Footer

GUTZON BORGLUM - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 11/26/1925 - HFSID 284923

His angry TLS (1925), to someone who has not kept his promise of financial support Typed Letter signed: "Gutzon Borglum", 1page 6x9½. San Antonio, Texas, 1925 November 26. On letterhead of the Hotel Menger to Curtis Freshel, New York City.

Price: $1,000.00

Condition: See item description Add to watchlist:
Chat now or call 800-425-5379

GUTZON BORGLUM
His angry TLS (1925), to someone who has not kept his promise of financial support
Typed Letter signed: "Gutzon Borglum", 1page 6x9½. San Antonio, Texas, 1925 November 26. On letterhead of the Hotel Menger to Curtis Freshel, New York City. In full: I regret very much that I have not received from you some payment on the account of our agreement as you promised would be done. I have had a very difficult time during the past two years, carrying on the big work and financing it myself and the only reason for making the offer that I did to you was on the consideration that I should receive five thousand dollars within thirty days. You assured me that I could depend upon that. It seems hardly fair that there should not have been even a thousand dollars paid on account. I have taken steps to play a big part in the restoration of the good name of Tom Paine in history but I will not possibly have any courage to undertake what I agreed to if I am to receive no support at all. Yours sincerely". Borglum (1867-1941, born John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum in St. Charles, Idaho), already famous for creating the great head of Lincoln in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, was commissioned to begin work on a "shrine of democracy" in 1927. After selecting Mount Rushmore as its site, he began work on 60-foot-high heads of Presidents George Washington (unveiled in 1930), Thomas Jefferson (1936), Abraham Lincoln (1937) and Theodore Roosevelt (1939), chosen to represent epic symbols of America. Borglum, who developed innovative stone-working methods to accomplish the massive project, died in 1941, leaving his son Lincoln to complete the finishing details. Curtis Freshel made a fortune from inventing and marketing flavorings for vegetarians. Borglum did sculpt a gilded statue of Thomas Paine, but the commission came from Paine biographer Joseph Lewis, who donated it to the people of France. The statue arrived in Paris shortly before World War II, was hidden from the Germans during the Occupation, and stands in a Paris park today. Horizontal fold creases. Paperclip crease and stain at upper left margin. Small chip at lower right edge. Two ½ slit tears at left margin. Vertical crease ½ from left edge. Overall, fine condition.

This website image may contain our company watermark. The actual item does not contain this watermark
See more listings from these signers
Make an offer today and get a quick response
Check your account for the status.

Following offer submission users will be contacted at their account email address within 48 hours. Our response will be to accept your offer, decline your offer or send you a final counteroffer. All offers can be viewed from within the "Offer Review" area of your HistoryForSale account. Please review the Make Offer Terms prior to making an offer.

If you have not received an offer acceptance or counter-offer email within 24-hours please check your spam/junk email folder.

 

Fast World-Wide Shipping

Fast FedEx and USPS shipping

Authenticity Guarantee

COA with every purchase

All Questions Answered

Contact us day or night

Submit an Offer Today

Get a quick response