Black leather-bound sketchbook containing visual content of an architectural nature as well as plans for a panel painting.
Architectural sketches include a building interior of a staircase, and a building exterior of of Weaponness Park in Scarborough England. The sketchbook includes a sleeping cat, a still life ink drawing of dried seaweed, soldiers, and a throne.

A mid-section of the sketchbook indicates Crane’s preliminary work for a commission. It includes a centralized composition of an enthroned figure followed by a processional figures on horseback, a floor plan, pages of notes with the repeated letters H.A.C., and costumed soldiers. These pages may have been part of the preliminary work that Crane did for his early twentieth-century commission to commemorate the soldiers of the Honorable Artillery Company (H.A.C.) who lost their lives during the Boer War.

Much of the textual content includes architectural and artistic terminology, such as cornices, wood carving, modelled panel. The notes contain information on measurements, on materials, and colours, types of clothing, and weapons. Numbers appear as dimensions, sums of money in British pounds, and time tables for the train. Evaluative language of student work appear under the headings “Reading College - Examination.”

The medium pencil on paper and ink on paper. The sketchbook includes a dried flower.

Green cloth-bound notebook featuring preliminary sketches of farm animals--including sheep, cows, horses, a dog (defecating), and a chicken. Extensively illustrated, the sketchbook includes landscapes of farmland and topographical sketches with notes on colouring as well as landscapes in watercolour. It includes portraits of a child and of a man, and details of a gate and a branch. The visual content includes a folded sheet of paper featuring profile and frontal portraits of the same man.

Crane’s handwriting notes include excerpts, quotes, and marginalia. Excerpts come from the art section from the The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art and the Westminster Review. Located on the sketchbook’s endpapers, Crane’s quotes Ralph Waldo on the use of the artist’s tools. Crane’s notation includes music notes with laughter “ha, ha, ha.”

Used by Crane in the summer and fall of 1864, the sketchbook corresponds with the period when Crane was beginning to illustrate a number of book covers and toybooks in partnership with the printer Edmund Evans. There is a possible connection between the animals and music notice in these sketches with farm animals and songs that feature in Crane’s early toybooks.

The medium is pencil, ink, and watercolour on paper.

Manuscript letter to McTavish signed Josp. Frobisher, dated Montreal 8th Novr. 1792.

Manuscript letter signed James Caldwell, dated Montreal 5th Decr. 1792. Letter mentions the Montreal private social club known as the Bachelors Club.

Manuscript letter to McTavish signed Wm Lindsay, dated Quebec 24th July 1795.

Manuscript letter to McTavish signed Isaac Todd, dated New York 16th Jany. 1799.

Manuscript letter to McTavish signed Rod. Mackenzie, dated Montreal 11th May 1800.

Contract between Antoine Jean Petit of "Petite Cote" near Montreal and the outfitters Thomas Mears and Joseph Shuter. The contract outlines conditions of employment as a day labourer in Hawkesbury, Upper Canada, for the duration of 6 months (13 November to 1 May) and payment of 51 livres per month. The contract notes that he also received 4 piastres on account.

Contract between Pierre Bellager of Lanoraie and outfitter Jean-Marie Boucher. The voyageur receives 300 livres on account Contract duration is two years. Payment is for 700 livres per annum. Position given as "wintering" milieu. Destination of the Northern Limits.

Contract between Jacques Goulet of l'Assomption and outfitter Archibald Norman McLeod, partner, for McTavish, McGillivrays & Co. The voyageurs receives an advance of 20 piastres, will receive 20 when leaving. Contract duration is three years. Includes rates, conditions and equipment of the post where he will winter. Position given as "wintering" milieu. Destination of posts of the Northwest in Upper Canada.