“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The envelope object for tonight was a card sent to Jane by Caroline Keck, conservator of paintings for the Brooklyn Museum, in 1964. See page 230.

(As usual I placed the object between two pieces of Bristol, then sealed it in two envelopes. Jane had not seen it since August 1964, since it has been in my files.

(See page 230. The object is a card, blank on the reverse side, written to Jane by Caroline Keck, conservator of the Brooklyn Museum; it was mailed to Jane in early August, along with a copy of the book, Is Your Contemporary Painting More Temporary Than You Think? and a mimeographed list of various addresses furnishing technical help and supplies regarding the conservation of paintings. The list was also compiled by Caroline Keck; the book by Louis Pomerantz.

(“A yellow square.” No connections. The object is printed on card stock with a light cream tint, but not yellow. Jane, oddly enough, said she had an image of a yellow square.

(“Black print or lettering or writing in a right hand corner, extending outward toward the center.” See page 230. Jane said this data is correct, in that it referred to the Brooklyn Museum and Caroline Keck by name on the object, in the upper left corner. To Jane, this reading matter does project toward the center of the object.

(As noted on page 230, this copy is in a rusty red, much the same color as on the cover of Louis Pomerantz’s book. Caroline Keck’s handwriting on the object is in blue; hence no black appears on the object. Perhaps Seth interpreted the blue as black, however, then substituted it in the upper left corner.

(“A rectangular item of paper, perhaps the shape of a postcard and the size.” Again see page 230. The object is a rectangular item, of heavy paper or light card stock. It is also the shape of a postcard, and nearly the same size. Actually a bit smaller.

(“A framework within a framework.” Somewhat vague, but we believe legitimate. Jane said the Kecks worked with frames and pictures while at the gallery in July 1964. A painting could be a framework, fitting within another framework—the frame. Could also be a generalization, referring to either the Arnot Gallery here in Elmira, or the Brooklyn Museum mentioned on the object, or both.

(The equalization, Jane believes, refers to the book by Louis Pomerantz, that along with the object and the mimeographed list were mailed to her by Caroline Keck from Brooklyn, NY, in August 1964. All three of these items refer to the conservation of paintings. The title page of Louis Pomerantz’s book shows that it was published by A Chicago Chapter Artists Equity Publication, 332 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago 4, Illinois. Artists Equity Association is dealt with in the book’s forward also.

(“Connection with a 1962 date, or 1964, or both.” Seth is correct with both dates. See page 230. The object is dated August l, 1964—Caroline Keck’s mimeographed sheet is also dated 1964. Louis Pomerantz’s book’s copyright is in 1962.

(“and a stone framework. Rocky.” Probably another general reference to the object, in that the object’s author, Caroline Keck, was associated with both the Brooklyn Museum and the Arnot Art Gallery. Both edifices being made of stone, as well as with additions of brick, etc.

(“And a JB.” Later Seth confirms that JB refers to Ruburt or Jane. Good data. The object is addressed to Jane. See page 230.

(The object itself also refers to a situation where Jane worked closely with another woman—namely Caroline Keck, when doing conservation work at the gallery in July 1964. See page 230.

(“A connection with light.” A reference to Caroline Keck, author of the object, and her husband, Jane said. The Kecks brought special equipment to the Arnot with them to examine the gallery’s paintings; among this equipment was a certain kind of light. Probably ultraviolet or infrared, though at this date Jane is not sure.

(“Several small letters or numbers, and a stamped card, from a distant place.” See page 230. The object contains small printed letters in the address in the upper left corner. It also contains numbers in the date. It is a card, but is not stamped; instead of being mailed alone it was enclosed in a small package or envelope with Louis Pomerantz’s book and the mimeographed list described earlier; and all addressed to Jane.

(“A connection with something bound, as a book.” Possibly the book by Louis Pomerantz, mailed with the object to Jane. Some distortion possible, as seen by Seth’s answer to the first question.

(“A very small image, such as the square or rectangle on the item.” This could be distortion arising from the object being similar to a postcard. But as stated the object was not mailed alone, and bears no stamp, etc, nor any marking like a square or rectangle.

(“A fence or framework connection with the item.” Again, framework can refer to frames, paintings, etc., as explained. A fence can also enter in, in a more literal way: The Arnot Art Gallery, where Caroline Keck, the author of the object worked, is surrounded by a black iron fence.

(“Connection with a man also. With you and another man," Some distortion develops here, but we think this legitimate data. See the copy of the object on page 230. Note that Caroline Keck writes Jane that her son Larry appropriated my drawing for his own use. Jane looked at me when she gave this data, incidentally.

(2nd Question: Who does JB refer to? “Here, to Ruburt.” Correct. The object is addressed to Jane. See page 230.

(4th Question: Who is the other man referred to besides myself? “Something to do with an animal in a tree, that I do not understand.” I had been hoping Seth, or Jane, might come up with Caroline Keck’s husband, Sheldon, or her son Larry, who is named on the object itself. See page 230. Of course I was involved with another man, and this involvement Seth picked up—since my drawing was appropriated by Larry Keck, as noted on the object.

(5th Question: Initials? “This may be your friend Gallagher, or your friend Mark, for the first name would seem to be William.” A miss here. As far as we know, neither Bill Gallagher or Bill Macdonnel (Mark) are involved with the object. Bill Macdonnel may have seen the pigeon drawing when it was on exhibit at the gallery; I do not know for sure. Could William have come from Larry, on the object?

(6th Question: Anything else you want to add? “A small box, and that is all.” At this date we cannot recall. The book, the mimeographed sheet and the object itself may have been mailed to us in a small box, or a manila envelope, etc.