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HOTEL PALAIS D'ORSAY
9 Quai Anatole France,
PARIS, VIIe.

November 2d., 1954

Dear Germain:

I have night-lettered you today that the copy of your long cable to me at Hotel Bristol, Vienna has arrived, as well as your cable starting GROSBOIS and your letter of 30th. The Paris office of Western Union said the nightletter from you had passed through Paris for re-transmission to Vienna but they could not explain its non-arrival at the Bristol. So much for that but it was annoying and could have been harmful.

I also said in N-L. that I would be seeing Wooderson of Beatty's office on Thursday morning, for what I may gain or glean from the appointment made by phone today. He sounded very friendly and said he would be in all Thursday morning. It is approaching the time set for the settlement of the Estate and a visit seems opportune. I shall also speak to Mrs. Weld-Blundell and renew my very pleasant acquaintance with Captain Loyd at Lockinge House. The chance to investigate the Zurbaran of Westminster is also there.

Thanks for the clipping which brings me up to date on the Hohenzollern baby in Texas. I am tempted to send it to Louis-Ferdinand with a note.

I am a little perplexed at your reiterated remark that you are uninformed on what Wilhelm told Hans. On October 15 I sent you a nightletter from Madrid which included quote "Hans Matsch has mailed me New York Wilhelm's agreeable letter saying not thinking presently of selling stop Hans planning social contact with owner soon stop" and on the next day I wrote saying that Jack could secure the letter by going to my apartment and asking my maid for it, easily identifying it by the Vienna postmark and Hans's (return) address on the envelope. That is why I suggested in a later cable that as Hans had offered only four thousand, a new approach by me would be timely as Hans' offer showed that in Austria, he might expect only a low offer while our offer $20,000 would be very advantageous to the Prince if he would accept it.

However, acting on your suggestion, when I phoned Wilhelm today, I opened the conversation with greetings and asked what paintings might now be considered available and whether it would be advantageous for me to come down and talk about them. He said nothing is available at this time and then I said....not the bronze either? He said "The great bronze in Vienna? No that is not for sale at this time either." I again asked whether a visit might change the situation and he said he was sure that now nothing would be gained by a visit. I gave him three chances to revise the answer but he stuck to it. We ended with mutual greetings of all kinds and that was the end. This confirmed what Hertzig of St Lucas Gallery had said... that the Prince is full of money and wont sell. Lanckoronski has said...L. has not sold his best pictures any more than a banker sells his best stocks and bonds when he needs money. He sells the second best ones. Pretty shrewd observation.

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