From letters exchanged in 1982 between the Whitney Museum of American Art and an author and critic referred to here as E.R. Harper’s Magazine obtained the letters in November.

Dear Sir:

My husband and I were co-authors of a book about art collecting. As such, we continue to be interested in factors that determine values in art. Hence this letter, which is seriously intended. We are seeking an authoritative explanation for the $1 million value set by the Whitney Museum on Jasper Johns’s Three Flags and would greatly appreciate what you might have to say about it.

Sincerely…