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Document 217463

STATUE OF LIBERTY: FREDERIC BARTHOLDI
The sculptor of the gift from France writes from New York as his statue is being constructed.
ALS: "F Bartholdi", 1p, 5x8. New York City, 1885 November 7. To Mr. Brown. In English, in full: "I enjoyed very much the receipt of your kind letter and I thought to write myself to you because I make only a short stay here and shall leave by the Normandy this month. I fear to not be able to come to Philadelphia; but next year I shall come over again and shall stay longer. I am sorry to not see you, but believe always in my best souvenirs, and receive my best thanks for yours and from Madame Bartholdi. Your faithfully friend." In a postscript signed "FB", he adds: "Please send me the address of Miss Tyndale, I should like to write her a few words." Bartholdi's statue, Liberty Enlightening the World, had arrived in New York harbor just four and a half months earlier on June 17, 1885 aboard the French Steamer Isère. At the time of this letter, Bartholdi had just arrived in New York with his wife to see how the building of the statue on Bedloe's Island was progressing. A week after he wrote this letter, on November 14, 1885, a reception for Bartholdi was given by the Lotus Club, whose President, Whitelaw Reid, welcomed the French sculptor to America. Reid was editor and publisher of the "New York Tribune" and later served as U.S. Minister to France (1889-1892). Joseph Pulitzer, then a New York Congressman and publisher of the "New York World" and Chauncey M. Depew, President of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad Co., also spoke. Bartholdi speaks of returning to New York the next year. He did. On October 28, 1886, he unveiled the Statue of Liberty, which was dedicated by President Cleveland. Depew was the main speaker. Most Bartholdi letters are in French. This one, penned in New York while his statue was being constructed in New York harbor, is in English. Light folds, 1 vertical through the "r" in signature. Lightly soiled at lower right corner, lightly creased, erased pencil notations at lower right corner.

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