Russell A. Plimpton to Mrs. Force, December 27, 1927

              THE MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
December 27, 1927.

Dear Mrs. Force:

Thank you for your letter regarding the Speicher
picture. I think the prospective purchaser is still anxious
to get the picture and as you know his first offer was $500.
Then I discovered in your letter the statement that the pic-
ture was already sold and almost at the same time came your
telegram saying Mr. Speicher would not be able to accept the
offer of $500. It was then that I wired asking if the pic-
ture was available at list price and you very promptly wired
that it was. As I am anxious to make this sale, I told the
prospective purchaser that we would be glad to waive our
usual commission of ten per cent that comes from all pictures
sold out of exhibitions in view of his interest in the In-
stitute and his various gifts to it. This would mean that 
the actual price to him would be $540, and that amound would
go direct to Mr. Speicher. I do not know, of course, whether
this would be acceptable to him or to you in view of the fact 
that the Studio Club is paying the expenses of this exhibition.
The whole point seems a small one and one that smacks of bar-
baining which I heartily dislike when a picture such as this
is concerned. I am probably more anxious to have this man buy
this painting than he is to buy it himself so am hoping that