Typed Letters Signed

Abiquiu, New Mexico: np, 1969. first edition. Fine. GEORGIA O’KEEFFE AS ART DEALER FOR HER OWN WORK: A fascinating correspondence between O’Keeffe and disgraced art dealer Andrew Crispo, revealing O’Keeffe’s reluctance to sell her paintings. On September 27, 1969, the 24-year-old art dealer Andrew Crispo (who later became infamous through his connection with the “Death Mask Murder” case), visited O’Keeffe at her home in Abiquiu, New Mexico. While there, Crispo – perhaps trying to make a big splash in the art world – negotiated with O’Keeffe to purchase three of her paintings: “Lake George – Blue” for $6000; “White Birches” for $40,000; “Mule’s Skull (truncated) and Pink Poinsetta” for $50,000. The first letter in the correspondence, dated September 29, is from O’Keeffe to Crispo, outlining the terms for the sale of “Lake George – Blue” for $6000. This is no simple sale, however – Crispo wants payment terms and O’Keeffe outlines them here: $100 (paid already), $1900 due in January 1970; $2000 in January, 1971; $2000 in January 1972.

The most interesting part of the letter, however, is O’Keeffe reluctance to let go of her work. She proposes a deal where she has the right of first refusal to buy it back from Crispo for $6000 should he wish to sell it to anyone. She originally wanted no time limit on this, but Crispo successfully negotiated a window (reflected in a “Note” at the bottom of the letter) of four years for O’Keeffe’s right of first refusal. This letter, signed by both O’Keeffe and Crispo, retains its original envelope, with September 30, 1969 postmark.

The negotiations get more complicated when considering two significantly more expensive O’Keeffe paintings. In an October 2, 1969, letter from Crispo (included here), he notes that he gave her deposits ($100 each) on the two paintings and understood the checks and their verbal agreement bound her to sell the painting “White Birches” for $40,000 and “Skull and Poinsettas” (later renamed “Mule’s Skull and Pink Poinsetta”) for $50,000. O’Keeffe was clearly getting uncomfortable with the sale of these paintings; hence Crispo’s insistence that the deal had been made.

This hesitancy comes to the fore in the final letter (signed by O’Keeffe) in the collection. Dated December 11, 1969, the letter – after confirming the details of the “Lake George” sale, reads in part:

“You may recall that when we first met I told you that I did not wish to sell any paintings. As I have thought things over, it seems best to leave things that way. I would rather keep the two paintings than send them to you.”

She then notes that she is returning his two checks for $100 (deposits on the paintings) and the two torn checks are included with this letter (along with the original envelope).

O’Keeffe at the time of this letter was 82 years old and it is surprising that she turned down a substantial amount of money for the two paintings. (The $90,000 for the two paintings is approximately $760,000 in today’s dollars.) Perhaps she really couldn’t bear to let them go, or perhaps she sensed something unsavory about Andrew Crispo. In 1969, Crispo had been working at New York City’s ACA Galleries and was likely laying the foundation for his namesake gallery, which he opened a few years later, but in the 1980s and 90s Crispo became notorious for his involvement in the gruesome “Death Mask Murder” case and later served time in prison for extortion.

Over time, all three paintings passed through various private collections. “Lake George - Blue”, the only painting Crispo successfully purchased from O’Keeffe, remains in a private collection. “White Birches” is now housed at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas, while “Mule’s Skull with Pink Poinsetta” is part of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum’s collection in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

––––––––

In total this archive includes two O’Keeffe typed letters signed, one unsigned O’Keeffe typed letter, and one Andrew Crispo typed letter signed with a duplicate retained copy, a retained copy of a Crispo letter (Dec. 5), two torn checks signed by Crispo and two transmittal envelopes from O’Keeffe. All letters on standard 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. Mailing fold lines, a few creases, otherwise fine condition with strong O’Keeffe signatures in black ink. (Inventory #: 2925)