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CA - Murphys,Calaveras County - Cutting Big Tree Correspondence

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Western Americana Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
CA - Murphys,Calaveras County - Cutting Big Tree Correspondence
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Group of three letters with exceptionally important content discussing the big trees venture. Date 4/25/54 (6pp), 7/28/54 (3pp), 8/10/54 (4.25pp) plus cover, single circle, "Murphy's/Aug 14/ Cal."Stamps torn off. Several other letters also discuss the Big Trees venture (6/6/53, 9/19/53) and a few others with brief mention, but other content regarding mining life in Murphy's is overwhelmingly more important, thus they are included in another lot that includes the 1854 letters, as well as the wonderfully desceptive letter on the Miners Ten Commandments letter sheet, also a separate sheet.

This lot of 3 very interesting letters that are possibly the first detailed early recorded reference to the 3000 year old grove, including an account of one of the giants from what is now Calaveras Big Trees State Park, having its bark stripped in preparation for its exhibition in New York, possibly with P.T Barnum. "That makes me think it would just be the thing for Barnum-as he wants all the wondrous things- besides Tom Thumb could live in it and have plenty of room to swing his coat tail."

In the second letter Cutting admits that he has been so enthusiastic about what is referred to as the "Monster Tree", that he confesses, "I wrote you last mail that my partner and myself owned an interest in the bark now exhibiting in N. York-also introducing Mr. Dickinson, another of the owners. You must excuse me for not informing you of it sooner. I was afraid you would laugh at me and call it a wild goose speculation and me a fool."

As stated, these 3 letters are the first known references to the giant sequoias and shows the fascination Cutting had for these natural wonders.