Author: Various
Title: An Outrageous Archive of Crank Letters, Theories, and Demands of the Smithsonian Institute and the Director of the American Museum of Natural History Frederick Augustus Lucas
Description: By the authors, 1885. Softcover. Ten letters, four manuscripts and six typed copies (transcriptions) + one photograph; pp. [36] altogether, in different formats; illustrated with two drawings; a few small rust spots from paper clips; fold lines; one of them with a small red stamped number (filing [?]); overall in very good condition. An interesting and quite amusing collection of letters, from all over the country, spanning 20 years, and 8 of the 10 addressed to Frederick Lucas, or to Smithsonian officials about Lucas, it presumably belonged to Lucas himself. Frederick Augustus Lucas (1852 - 1929) was a prominent naturalist, a major figure in the Great American Museum Movement, Curator in Chief of the Brooklyn Museum, and Director of the Museum of Natural History. Some of the letters addressed the Secretary and the Curator of the Smithsonian Institute, in an angry, indignant, and incredulous tone, complaining about Lucas' disregard for their fantastic discoveries of the natural world, which had been previously brought to his attention. Others speculated about minerals, fossils, an "incredible petrified tree," etc. and the last one was a request for information about a taxidermy examination and possible employment. - Abbee, J. Manuscript Letter, Addressing "Proff Lucas Dear Sir" Brownville, Maine, April 28, 1884; pp. [4], text in black ink; intersecting creases and a few light spots; in very good condition. In the earliest of the letters, in a cramped, rambling, and difficult-to-read hand, the author actually began with an itemized "small bill” for cats, porcupines, etc. - responding to a previously-received request by Lucas to send a box of skeletons and saying he would have liked to mail them for free, but was not able to do so. He continued on with several intertwined and convoluted stories of his life about hedgehogs, including an incredible “white as snow" one he had hunted with his brother, which they had at first thought was a “gost” [sic.]. - Rudinger, Louis Manuscript Letter, Addressing “Mr. Baker” (Most Probably Frank Collins Baker, Curator at the Smithsonian in the late-19th Century) [Place unintelligible], December 17, 1885; pp. [2], text in black ink to recto only; 8 x 5; minor creasing and spotting; in about near fine condition. The only letter in the collection not directly related to Frederick Lucas, or to the workings of the Smithsonian, but possibly responding to a previous request for specimens, it mentioned the author’s bad luck (corn house and oats stack burned) and went into some detail about several subspecies of field mice, including yellow pocket mouse, short nose mouse, and so on. - Krattli, M. Manuscript Letter, Addressing “Dear Sir” (Prof. Marsh, Geological Survey - Most Probably Othniel C. Marsh, Paleontologist of the US Geological Survey and Director of the Peabody Museum) Dalton, Missouri, March 18, 1904; pp. [14], text in black ink to recto only; leaves + original stamped envelope glued together in the upper left corner; red date stamp and penciled-in, manuscript numbers to upper right corners; minor age-toning and wear to edges; in very good condition. A bit of a mystery, the letter was presumably addressed to paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh (1831 - 1899) - five years after he had passed away. Though, it was entirely possible the author had been unaware Marsh had died and later, the letter had ended up with Lucas at the Smithsonian, after specimens of Marsh's extraordinary collection were donated to the institution upon his death. It began: “Sometime ago, I read about you having an article in a paper about a large animal known by the name of Dinosaur. Your article was the first thing that I ever read about this monster-” The letter went on, for 14 pages, asking if these large animals had left any footprints in America, if there were any other extinct creatures in this country, if supposed bones of elephants found in the US were like those “in the Old World,” etc. - Mrs. Olta Hay Manuscript Letter, Addressing "Pro. Lucas” Hannibal, Missouri, May 13, 1904; pp. [2], text in purple ink; illustrated with two drawings; 12 1/2 x 8; intersecting crease lines and a few small nicks and cuts to edges; in very good condition. The author, the only female in the collection, began her letter by stating that her teacher, Prof. E. D. Luckey of St. Louis, had recommended she contact Lucas, in connection with a skull the two men had talked about and the latter had pronounced it to be that of a sheep. The woman, in possession of the skull, heartily disagreed with the identification and proceeded to explain in detail where it was found (under gravel in the middle of the Mississippi River) and what it looked like (a mouth like a fish, cow like horns). She also drew front- and side-view renditions of the skull in question. In conclusion, she offered to send it to Lucas for a close examination. - Nunnelly, B. B. Typed Letter (Transcribed Copy) and a Photograph, Addressing “Secretary Smithsonian Institute" Marianna, Arkansas, May 21, 1901; pp. [4], text to recto only; paper 10 x 8, photograph, attached with a paper clip 4 1/2 x 7; horizontal fold lines with closed splits to edges; photo with a few small spots and a manuscript note to verso, in very good condition. The most amusing of the letters, it supplied an original photograph of the bone in question and proclaimed: "Dear Sir, I acknowledge the return of skeleton, but cannot sign receipt sent "as the breast-bone of a horse" The reason I sent the skeleton to you was that I believed that employers were fully competent to discharge their duties. I would suggest that you pump the whisky out of Lucas and send him to the lunatic asylum or Keely Institute-” It proceeded to explain that the person was a retired physician, formerly the owner of the largest collection of curiosities in the country, and that he was certain the animal had been “acquatical” [sic.] and had died from the effect of fresh water. It ended with: “I shall send the President a photograph of the animal with a copy of the letter sent me-you may say to your man (Lucas) that I will wager him one thousand dollars to one hundred that the skeleton is not the breast bone of a horse-” - Towner, H. C. Typed Letter (Transcribed Copy), Addressing "S. P. Langley, Curator, Smithsonian Institution" Los Angeles, California, March 7, 1901; pp. [4], text to recto only; 9 3/4 x 6 1/2; somewhat fragile, with horizontal fold lines and light age-toning to margins; small rust spots from a removed staple to upper left corner; in very good condition. Apparently, a specimen had been sent to Lucas, examined, and returned in a “demoralized condition,” but the bigger reason for the letter was to protest against “the examiner” (Lucas), who had not done the subject justice, pronouncing a skull of human origin - “calcareous incrustation.” The author went on to describe his various points of evidence, including a mark from a blow with a heavy weapon, obviously conceivable “how one human being under certain circumstances would sink a deadly weapon into another’s head especially in the savage times indicated by this specimen.” - Williams B, W. H. Typed Letter (Transcribed Copy), Addressing “The Smithsonian Inst.” Key West, Florida, May 7, 1901; pp. [2], text to recto only; 10 x 6 1/2; a small chip to upper right corner; mild age-toning to margins; in very good condition. An indignant proclamation, the letter read: “..I am sorry that you think me such an ignoramus as to not know the skeleton of a shark when I see one-I say the skeleton I now have is not a shark but to the best of my judgement is that of a sea-serpent, your decision notwithstanding-” - Saunders, B. L. Typed Letter (Transcribed Copy), Addressing "Smithsonian Institute" Adamsville, Tennessee, April 13, 1900; pp. [2], text to recto only; 9 3/4 x 6 1/2; a few nicks and chips to bottom edge, else minor wear; in good to very good condition. An interesting piece of mail, the author declared he had sent “Samples of Mineral” and was expecting them analyzed speedily. He explained he had been using it as an alternative miracle drug - germicide and antiseptic for blood poison, piles, soar [sic.] throat, etc. - and also, in chicken cholera, for producing the finest plumage in fowls. - Bateson, John Typed Letter (Transcribed Copy), Addressing “Supuntendent [sic.] Smithsonian Institute” American Fork, Utah, June 23, 1902; pp. [2], text to recto only; 10 1/2 x 8; horizontal crease line with small nicks to edges; in very good or better condition. In a truly-bizarre communication, the author stated a petrified tree of staggering dimensions had been found in his region, which he had not measured, but had estimated its age and size, and by this Phenomena, he could prove: “That the Earth was never a Molten Mass as Geologists claim,” “That there is no conflict between the Book of Genesis and Geological Science if it is properly understood,” “That previous to the Present Geological Period The Earth was peopled by Giants,” and four other fantastical truths. He concluded with: “How I will prove these things cannot be explained in this short letter-Just send a man out here and I will explain everything to him-” - Bixler, Chas. E. Typed Letter (Transcribed Copy), Addressing “U. S. National Museum” Wooster, Ohio, December 21, 1903; pp. [2], text to recto only; 10 1/2 x 8; faint horizontal creases; a small, period, manuscript note to verso; in very good to near fine condition. The letter was, presumably, in response to an open position (with a qualification exam) for a taxidermist and the author asked for several clarifications, including salary vs. work hours - “Now at the salery [sic.] of $900 per year is one supposed to be busy every day mounting or can he be engaged in other business-” and specifics of the qualifying exam - “Can one mount more than one specimen per day at the examination and are the dried skins fresh or a number of years old.” It also mentioned an enclosed photo of the author’s work (not present) of a Fox Squirrel, as an example of his work. Ill.: 0. 2.

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