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494
493 

Detroit, Michigan, 
December 18th,1899.

Mr. W. J. McBride, 
Care American Car and Foundry Co., 
Lincoln Trust Building, 
St. Louis, Mo.

Dear Mac:- 
I have your telegram of to-day reading:

"Think your selection for Mr. Waitt will be very nice.  We have concluded it would not be wise to send Spencer anything.  Would books selected for him suit Cowen ? Crone not now in railroad business." 

and in reply have just wired you:

"Have selected remarkably fine satsuma jar for Cowen, which will suit him better than books. Better send books to J. A. Middleton of Erie. Have marked Crone off list."

which I now beg to confirm. 
I doubt if it would be possible to add very much to Judge Cowen's library, which is already very complete. Having found that both he and Mrs. Cowen are very fond of Oriental potteries, I purchased from Matsuki in Boston the handsomest piece of Satsuma that I have ever seen. It is a large jar decorated most charmingly, the predominating colors being gold, red and green. There is nothing in any museum or private collection in this country comparable with it. The price is $275.00. 
The next finest piece of decorated satsuma I have ever seen, I bought at the same time for Mr. Shaughnessey. Mr. Shaughnessey's piece is a large water jar with inlaid vertical panels, the panels being divided by dark blue vertical flat spaces; the decorations are flowers and are extremely beautiful. The jar has an antique lacquer cover. The price is $225.00. I enclose herewith Mr. Matsuki's bill. I have ordered the Cowen jar to go with Mr. Bixby's card and the Shaughnessey jar with Mr. Carry's card. 
I think the literature selected for Mr. Spencer had better be sent to Mr. J.A. Middleton, whose New York address you can get through Mr. Eaton. 
I bought while in Boston from Yamanaka and Company of that city, a superb Sato water jar, at a cost of $18/00, which I have ordered sent to Mr. James McCrea with Mr. Bixby's card. 
Yours very truly, 
Charles L Freer

P.S.
I find Matsuki's bill is at my house, so will send it to you to-morrow.

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