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May 26th., 1959

Conde de Salinas,
Almagro 25,
Madrid, Spain.

Dear Count de Salinas:

It was indeed very pleasant to have your letter and I hasten to send you my greetings and to give you such answers as possible to your questions, as well as acknowledging the snapshots and data therein.

When I wrote the Duquesa de Lecera, your mother, that it was my intention to be in Madrid early this year, my appointments in Paris and London seemed to be taking shape in such a manner as to make a visit to Spain possible.  Later for one reason or another those appointments had to be postponed and so my prospect of being in Madrid before July is very faint.

However, I have in Paris at this moment, a great friend in whose judgement I have the highest confidence, and who is very probably going to be in Madrid in the near future.  Since I would take his opinion on any matter pertaining to the purchase of paintings or early sculptures, I am going to ask him to write or telephone you and discuss a possible meeting. Meantime, since you suggest that you could send photographs of the two portraits and the sketch of an old man in oils, by J. B. Tiepolo, I think we could save some time if you would send them direct to my friend in Paris, who can use his own judgement or send them on to me if he prefers to leave the decisions to me.  I am myself especially interested in the drawings of which you mention some 35.  But it would be necessary to have all the documentation of pedigree.....provenance, condition of paintings, what exhibitions, what references in fairly recent books by experts, etc. as soon as possible.  The drawings are a somewhat different matter as it is almost impossible to photograph them all.  But nevertheless, please send to him all possible data on the drawings, and on any other drawings you may have.  Be quite sure that he can represent me in all ways, as he has been most cooperative in times past and is a most agreeable person.

I am assuming that the source of these items is Countess de Salinas' father or grandfather, though I may be wrong about this.  But I understood from the Duques that there are also many volumes of early printed books from 1400 to 1500...and some on the subject of Columbus' voyages.  And that there are some early manuscripts, some with illuminations and miniatures.  Would you send me a note about these items, being as detailed as possible, with dates, condition, authors, subjects, sizes, etc.  There is of course, always the matter of export certificates????

Please address my friend, Mr. Germain Seligman, Hotel Ritz, Place Vendome, Paris, and with the material mentioned and as soon as possible, as he moves about a good deal and must be back in New York in early July.  Let me hear also about the books and Manuscripts. 

With kindest regards and my salutations to your distinguished mother, 

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