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#33 Perry Avenue, 
Detroit, Michigan 
November 14th, 1905

Dear Mr. Way:-

Your kind letter of October 27th containing the three early sketches by Whistler came safely. 

I have examined the drawings carefully and while they are, of course, interesting I do not feel them sufficiently so to warrant me paying the sum asked for them, namely:- £ 60 You kindly suggested that if the price seemed to be excessive you would be pleased to receive an offer from me. But I really dislike to take such a step. Of course, if the sketches had greater aesthetic value they would be worth a great deal of money. But as their interest is almost exclusively historical their value is decreased accordingly. While I feel that I must refrain from placing a fixed price, either separately or collectively, for the sketches, I will say that under no circumstance would I agree to pay more than £ 30 for the lot; which figure I presume is less than Mrs. W. M. Whistler will agree to accept. So I return the sketches by registered post, to your address as below. 

Please accept my thanks for your kind interest in the matter. 

You are keeping very well I trust. 

America is blessed with remarkably fine autumn weather and I am thankful for not only the enjoyment received, but I am