Viewing page 15 of 138

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[vertical in left margin]]
^[[W. said Countess Palffy back in Austria 18 months.]]
[[/vertical in left margin]]

Please excuse back of page....this is for air mail.
Page 2

We spoke then of the others in the order of your list: The Simone Martini still adaman^[[t]], having refused 85,000.  French School att. Fouquet Not For Sale;  He said that H.H. values the van der Goes at "too high an estmation" and made it impossible.  The Belottos are family and N.F.S.  He said he would talk with H H about Memling but feared it is out of the question.  As to the Poussin, he has ^[["]]a standing offer of 25,000.  and it must bring more^[["]] so I said.....will 26,000. buy it?  That you had thought 18 or 20 thousand a high price.  He smiled and said...say 30,000.

I then asked about the Limoges plates, said I had had only a fleeting look at them and you hadnt seen them.  Had he any photographs?  He jumped up, went over and opened his lower cupboards and finally brought the photos of the seven plates;;;the ^[["]]Burning of TROY^[["]]; several signed by P. CORTEYS, but all the same series of course.  I said that I'd like to have the photos and he gave them to me, to show you and mail them back if not interested.  I said of course your idea was not to buy these only or one piece of sculpture only....but a [[underline]] group [[/underline]] of objects and paintings.

Then to the subject of the drawings:  I asked whether Dr. Feilchenfeld still has them and he said ^[["]]yes, did you go to see them?^[["]]  I said no that we had preferred not to as it would mean, if bought through him, an added commission which would put the prices so high that they could not be sold.  If they were returned to Wilhelm, they would be of great interest.  He nodded thoughtfully and gave the impression that F. had done nothing.  He replied to my question of how many and what subjects and Masters...^[["]]well there are about two hundred of them, a couple of Durers, a few Italian a few French, the balance German and Dutch masters.^[["]] I repeated....they would have great interest for [[strikethrough]] you [[/strikethrough]] ^[[GS]].  That you were a man with a long range point of view; that as you had agreed with him, interest in sculpture is not great now but that you were prepared to buy a group and perhaps take a long time to place them.

I then said...I have a delicate questio^[[n]] or two to ask and broached it by saying..."Does Dr. F; act as adviser in the matter of all sales?  He said "NO, he is only one person who has done business here^[["]].  I then said, My other question is perhaps more delicate....and I know that you will understand, because in many cases the situation exists....^[["]]is there a need to consider anyone who may be advisory to H.H. and who might expect to be considered with an honorarium?^[["]]  He said "NO, that could not happen here at all";  I said that in England I had had certain experience and that as it is not unusual, I was realistic enough to know that business must be done as they are accustomed to do it or otherwise no business [[underline]] could [[/underline]] be done.  He repeated that it could not be the case there.  I said; ^[["]]well, when we three were there together I had felt that I should ask that question but had refrained^[["]]....^[[(]]each time trying to give the impression that I would not be surprised if someone [[underline]] had to be [[/underline]] considered.^[[)]]  He said he understood^[[,]] but there was no one who had to be considered.

I then said I had see^[[n]] a very nice catalog ^[[(]]of the picture gallery in Vienna published in 1943 by Erich von Strohmer^[[)]] in a shop in Vaduz (I didnt say I had bought one) and he again leaped up and got a copy out of the bookcase.  I went through it with him, asking whether a Rubens was for sale...an he laughingly picked up my expression "N.F.S.^[["]] (which I had marked on the back of the not-for-sale item photostats.) saying ^[["]]NO Rubens, No Rembrandts for sale^[["]].  I said Why^[[,]] you have a monoply on Rubens^[[!]]...he agreed saying [[underline]] 33 [[/underline]].  We came to a Guido Reni ^[["]]Adoration of the Sheperds.^[["]]  He said quickly, "That one is for sale....it's too large for us....its six meters high" and I said ^[["]]well I'll try to think of a Museum big enough to take it.^[["]]  [[underline]] No [[/underline]] early German ones for sale as they have "too few".