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G i b r a l t e r
November 1, 1951

Dear Germain:

After a rest of two days, I am taking up typewriter to jot down a few ideas which have occurred to me in the silent watches of the night.  Most of these are in relation to the Mss.

[[underline]] Manuscripts [[/underline]]  The convenience of referring to the Mss as BOOKS in writing and cabling has overshadowed the fact that that are Illuminated Manuscripts and as such are more precious than any books.  I think we should from now on dispense with the word BOOK.  If they went to auction, they would not be referred to or listed as books.  This has doubtless already occurred to you but I think it should be a rule.

[[underline]] Anglo-Saxon Mss.  [[/underline]]  Before we spring the two Evangelists on the collectors, should we not look into the BOOK OF KELLS data available, if nowhere else, in the Library of Congress.  I have a recollection that there was published a few years ago, a fac-simile BOOK OF KELLS in a very limited Edition at (if my memory serves me rightly) about $950.00 a copy.  I would think that such a copy might be in the New York Public Library, but perhaps more likely in the Huntington Library in Pasadena, the L. of Congress, the Widener Library at Harvard, etc.

Anglo-Saxon Mss
(possibilities)   In presenting these two Mss. what would you think of privately showing them to such collectors as Mr. Arthur Houghton; the above named Libraries; Mr. Adams, etc. (and possibly Mr. Joseph Kennedy former Ambassador to the Court of St James's for presentation to the Vatican Library?); and naming [[underline]] no [[/underline]] price.  (Even if we have one, which, at present, we have not.)  Just having it understood that due to rarity, uniqueness in fact, the price must be established by a non-public sealed-bid type of auction.  No bid for less than 125,000. for the important one.  Then, the owner is to have the decision as to whether he will accept the highest bid, or put it to public auction.  There is no jealousy like that of two collectors of rare books faced by a work which is rarissima.  (Read the article, I REMEMBER THE JACKPOTS, in October 1951 HARPER'S)  Then too, we have Mr. Swann at Parke-Bernet, as advisor to the University Collection, the Phillips Fund.  He might go all out to by one of the Evangls. where he would not wish to advise them to buy a Book of Hours.

[[underline]] ASTROLOGIA [[/underline]]  This is also a Mss. which has both uniqueness and significance as to content.  It will require research of a special type

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