Correspondence, 1912-1913: Design and construction

Letter from George Grant Elmslie to William Gray Purcell (October 1, 1913)

Dear Willie:

I went all over looking for your fabrics this afternoon and found most of them. The rug you have in mind is a beautiful color and fine material. Just how permanent the gray is for a continuous living proposition is a wee bit of another story--

The Roslyn is the best of the 3 types and prices same as here. The chermont is a $1.00 cheaper but not as fine.

730 is yours-- 715 is Weber--

I must say that 715 is beautiful also and as a soft color is way ahead of 730 but we couldn't reconcile the proposed color scheme with it.

The trouble is there is practically no choice and it appears to be 730 or nothing. So there you are--

There are no effective greens in Roslyn. There isn't enough appeal in 730 to give me a feeling of wanting to scramble in it. Such as I have seen here in greens. Bradley and Babson's [1], for instance. There is nothing to do that I can see but get 730 and work from it. I don't fear much from that as a basis.

I couldn't find anything of your 22334 Brunswick anywhere in town. The portier scheme is fine but I do wish we could find a fabric that would do better than velvet.

I saw some angora goats hair English fabrics the other day. Such a hang and such a feel. Comes white and can be dyed any color at $7.50 per yard. (Dear me). tsk such stuff-- au revoir to it.

Atemin 108 looks good and just the thing--dearer than Roslyn-- Yes, sir, curtain portier lined to suit.

I wouldn't have a #4 and I'd make #5 the same. You can't effectively or reasonably change. I wouldn't do it. The extension of the big rug is I think of prime importance. Think that over. Also think if moving your piano. I won't let you off so easy as to ignore the suggestion. Darn you.

We will have to think over the curtain for the big window. It is a problem for careful maturing [we need some system].

Opal glass? Should say, hardly. It would be unsightly from the outside and we want that pretty fine.

Wish you'd look at Hoyt [2] glass scheme. I like it, and yours should be of a similar all over effect, so I feel at present writing.

The great window is a stumper for glass and also for shades and curtains--

unsigned (possibly fragmentary)

1. Harold C. Bradley and Henry B. Babson, though it is not clear to which of several jobs done for each these clients Elmslie is referring.
2. E. S. Hoyt residence, in Red Wing, Minnesota.

research courtesy mark hammons