Edward S. Curtis Digital Collection
Preview up to 100 items from this collection below. Photographer Edward S. Curtis devoted two decades to making “The North American Indian,” an early 20th century photography and text project studying Western tribes.
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Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition stock certificate, October 2, 1906
Capital stock assessment to Roland H. Vivian for the amount of $2.50 with paid stamp dated 2 October 1906.
Identifier: mohai_ayp_2006.3.37
Date: 1906-10-02
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Letter from Edward S. Curtis to Harriet Leitch, January 2, 1949
Letter from Edward Curtis to Harriet Leitch describing his progress in compiling materials to send and noting that his health is further improved. He promises he has not forgotten her request for a picture of him but the photo he thought to send looked to similar to Bill Cody and may cause confusion. Curtis describes spending time in New York with Cody and says they were sometimes called the "Cody Twins." He notes that this confusion was a common occurrence.
Identifier: spl_esc_007
Date: 1949-01-02
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Letter from Harriet Leitch to Edward Curtis, March 1, 1949
Letter from Harriet Leitch to Edward Curtis informing him that she and Lucile McDonald, a Seattle Times journalist, were in the process of reviewing the materials he had sent for an article in the paper. Leitch shares a few more questions that McDonald has about Curtis's experiences writing The North American Indian. She adds that they would like to include several pictures from the Pacific Northwest Volume in the article.
Identifier: spl_esc_009
Date: 1949-03-01
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Letter from Edward S. Curtis to Harriet Leitch, February 2, 1951
Letter from Edward Curtis to Harriet Leitch describing the production of his birthday portrait. He writes "It was the first time in eight years I had been to the studio; some of the girls threatened to kiss me - think of that - at my age." Curtis also writes about the distribution of the photographs to Seattle newspapers and others who have sent him written requests. He says that he has been delayed in responding to some of these requests due to the fact that the letters were lost while he was in a period of poor health and he has only recently uncovered them. He asks for Leitch's help in making sure the autographed photographs are properly distributed and adds that one should be sent to the Seattle Public Library as well.
Identifier: spl_esc_022
Date: 1951-02-02
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Letter from Edward S. Curtis to Harriet Leitch, March 3, 1951
Letter from Edward Curtis to Harriet Leitch mentioning the Curtis Studio on Wilshire Boulevard which he states he has not been involved with for several years. He adds that this has caused much confusion because some of the requests sent to him regarding autographed portraits have been misdirected to the studio. Curtis also discusses photographing Princess Angeline in Seattle, stating that he paid her a dollar for each portrait and added "This seemed to please her greatly and with hands + jargon she indicated that she preferred to spend her time, having pictures made than in digging clams."
Identifier: spl_esc_023
Date: 1951-03-03
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Letter from Edward S. Curtis to Harriet Leitch, December 26, 1948
Letter from Edward Curtis to Harriet Leitch in which he responds to her inquiry as to whether he would consider writing an autobiography. Curtis notes that his health and finances prohibit him from undertaking such a project and describes how publishers have told him there is now little interest in books focusing on Native Americans. He writes that he has already given a publisher a book written by him on the topic of the Pacific shores with a large chapter focusing on the history of sea otter hunting and trade. Curtis states that he spent many months on the work but his publishers say there is not enough interest to produce it. Curtis suggests Leitch looks at his two previous books. "Indian Days of the Long Ago" and "The Land of the Head Hunters," if she is able to find them at the library.
Identifier: spl_esc_006
Date: 1948-12-26
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