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[[preprinted]]
REGENT 7-9880

JOHN J. CUNNINGHAM
111 EAST SIXTY-FIFTH STREET
NEW YORK 21, NEW YORK
[[/preprinted]]

Wednesday   April 16th 1958

Dear Germain,

[[double spaced]] Yours of the 12th enclosing the carbon of your excellent letter to van Heesch arrived and I found it entirely the needed stimulus for H.S.H. and the perfect supplement to mine which was based a little on the theory that with van Heesch, molasses might be more attractive than vinegar.  Your letter brought to the attention of H.S.H. will certainly make him see that the gloves are off. [[/double spaced]]

I became somewhat worried about the possibility of a hitch in the shipment of the Valdes Leal, due to German customs thoroughness or whatever, when I had not hear from you of its arrival.  I telephoned TWA in Frankfort and was assured that it had left as promised on Sunday night so I'm presuming that Bemo got it and that the New York Customs may be slow in examining it, hence no word from you to now.

As I advised you, I am sailing this afternoon on the Nieuw Amsterdam, the only ship sailing except the Queen which leaves tomorrow arriving approximately the same time, and much more expensive.  I will arrive the morning of the 23d. at Hoboken.

I am wondering whether the X-rays of the Petrus have arrived, and in this connection had a phone talk with Dr. Weninger who said they were completed but that he could not himself "interpret" them.  Also that he expected to have infra-red photographs done at the laboratory of the University as soon as possible.  He is also sending me a larger photo of the painting.

I have the bulky catalog of the Cremer collection and with time to study it, I am not so enthusiastic about them generally speaking.  They have very little documentation although the foreword was prepared by Herman Voss (1929) and I would assume that he would not have been mixed up in a lot of poor pictures.  Of all this I will speak when we meet.

Looking forward to greeting you,

Sincerely yours,

[[signed]] John [[/signed]]

Germain Seligman, Esq.
5 East 57th. Street,
New York 22, N. Y.