ROBERT MILLS
Washington Monument Architect Writes about Building Repair
In 1836 Mills won the competition for the design of the Washington Monument, his best known work. He also designed the U S. Department of Treasury building. Two years before winning the WAshington Monument design competition Mills wrote this letter to G. W. Williamson about building repairs. Scarce Autograph Letter Signed, on folio integral address leaf sheet, Washington, July 21, 1834 and a postscript, Baltimore, July 22, 1834.
“In calling at Fuller I found you had left the City. Mr. Dyer the auctioneer...will be kind enough to send me some such order to Mr. D that he might be able to close…with the Marshall. I believe that I had mentioned to you that we had purchased it…The proceeds of which we were to lay out in white washing the room. They have been charged to me, Will you accept them. Tho’ that can be arranged hereafter between us. We shall proceed immediately to make the necessary repairs and hope to occupy the house’….” Signed, “Yours respectfully, Rob’t Mills”. In a postscript he adds, “Mr. Edward Dyer will charge the am’t of Mr. Mills’ bill to sales as he has arranged it with me”.
A good letter about repairs of one of his structures. Mills was a neoclassical architect, the dominant building style that was winning architectural design competitions and major projects of the time, both in Europe and in America. Under the umbrella of neoclassicism, his designs were partly Palladian, Georgian and often Greek Revival. Mills studied in Charleston, South Carolina, as a student of Irish-born architect James Hoban.
Condition: Repair across center fold and part of the lower portion torn off not near writing. One hole on left margin not affecting text. Letters of Mill rarely become available.
Item #859
Price: $400.00