This item is a copy of a 28 page letter written by Johnson, dated 3 May 1958, and addressed to a Mr Mitchell. It is likely that the addressee was SR Mitchell, Honorary Associate in Ethnology at the National Museum of Victoria, who is known to have been in contact with Johnson at this time (see inscribed monograph, AA 159/4/9). Johnson's return address at this time was c/- Southwestern Mining, Mt Davies via Alice Springs.

This letter was written in response to a letter sent to Johnson by Mitchell, dated 9 April 1958. In the letter Johnson provides detailed information, including several tables and diagrams, describing the nature and number of Australian Aboriginal stone artefacts collected at various archaeological sites in NSW, SA and WA, with some reference to the occurrence of australites.

Of interest in the letter is Johnson's comment that he presents all his collections to the South Australian Museum (SAM), illustrating his links to SAM as early as 1958.

Also included in the James Johnson collection at SAM are two monographs authored by SR Mitchell relating to Australian Aboriginal stone artefacts. These monographs can be found at AA 159/3/2 and AA 159/4/9.

The letter has been stapled within a buff cardboard cover. '$55' has been handwritten on the front cover, but the front and reverse covers are otherwise unmarked.