Description:

Augustus Saint-Gaudens
New Yok, NY, October 20, 1886
Sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens Tries to Clear Up a Misunderstanding about a Name
ALS
AUGUSTUS SAINT-GAUDENS, Autograph Letter Initialed, to Clarke, October 20, 1886. 2 pp., 8" x 9". Signature clipped with bottom 1" of sheet, but initials appear in postscript on verso; expected folds; some separation on folds; general toning; some chipping and loss at left margin, not affecting text.

In this unintentionally humorous letter, the renowned sculptor seeks help in determining whether an "R. G. Lyle" or "R. G. Pyle" had requested a waste cast. He believed he had someone deliver a first cast to 179 Reade Street in New York City and then attempted to deliver a second to 11 Suydam Avenue in Jersey City. Robert G. Lyle (d. 1914) was a fruit and produce merchant in the firm of Lyle & Smith, which had offices at 179 Reade Street. Lyle lived at 7 Suydam Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Complete Transcript

"Oct 20 86
Dear M Clarke
A cast has been made for Mr R. G. Lyle and delivered to his address 179 Reade Street. Subsequently if I am not mistaken you asked me to have a waste cast made for Mr Robert Lyle to be delivered at 11 Suydham (or Suydam) Ave Jersey City. The moulder on going to that address with the cast found that they did not know of a Mr Lyle but a Mr Pyle lived there whose office was at 179 Reade Street. Will you kindly inform me whether you have any memoranda of these two names. I think there must be some confusion somewhere
[Closing and signature clipped]
[Postscript on verso:]
I have not kept your letter with regard to the last name and possibly I have reversed the order in which the casts were made and possibly the first cast was made and delivered to Mr Lyle in Suydam Ave Jersey City and Mr Pyle could not be accounted for. The moulder lives some distance away and I do not wish to wait to hear from him before settling this. There is a mistake either one way or the other at any rate.
A.StG."

Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) was born in Dublin, Ireland, to a French father and Irish mother. His parents immigrated to the United States when he was an infant, and he grew up in New York City. In 1861, he became an apprentice to a cameo cutter and took art classes at the Cooper Union. He continued his studies of art at the National Academy of Design in New York City, in Paris, and in Rome. He met an American art student, Augusta Fisher Homer, who was deaf, and they married in 1877. They had one son. In 1874, a New York reformer hired Saint-Gaudens to create a marble bust. By the late 1870s, he was receiving public commissions, including a bronze David Farragut Memorial, the first of many Civil War commissions, and a bronze Diana as a weather vane for the second Madison Square Garden building. Among his most famous works are Abraham Lincoln: The Man (Chicago), the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial (Boston), and William Tecumseh Sherman (New York). He also designed several coins for the United States Mint.

The recipient may be Thomas B. Clarke (1848-1931), a well-known and prominent art collector. A businessman in linen and lace manufacturing, he became a patron of many artists of the Hudson River School and retired in 1888 to become a full-time art dealer and art agent for J. P. Morgan.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

    Dimensions:
  • 8" x 9"
  • Artist Name:
  • Augustus Saint-Gaudens
  • Medium:
  • ALS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

March 12, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to [bp]% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions