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[[preprinted]]
THE AMERICAN CLUB.
95, PICCADILLY,
LONDON, W.1.
[[/preprinted]]

[[stamped]]
GROSVENOR 2303.
2304.
2305.
2306.
TELEGRAMS & CABLES
AMERICAN CLUB
LONDON.
[[/stamped]]

[[image - hand drawn arm and hand pointing to the above stamped text]]
^[[No need for [[underlined]] 95 Piccadilly [[/underlined]]- in cables.]]

May 11th 1954

Dear Germain:

I shall start with Colonel Stirling and go on from there, trying to condense as I know you are probably trying to get ready for your flight...perhaps already have flown.

1.  I flew at crack of dawn for Glasgow, was met at airport and arrived at Keir in time for lunch and a long talk thereafter. The nett of the visit is that I carried away the two Ms.  They are

HORAE B.V.M. -  French circa 1410 (they say) Ex Libris
Victoriae Ducisae de Urbino (1548-1602)
([[underlined]] another Duchess [[/underlined]], as you will remark!)

OFFICIA Ms. -  Neapolitan c. 1450  Ex Libris Alfonsi VI
Aragoniae Regis(1376-1456)  (A KING this time)

Herein find enclosed the letter I have written Stirling and a memorandum and Chenue's receipt.  Since there is no hurry about shipping them, I am having Chenue hold them, hoping you may be in London, when you could examine them and see whether you really want them.  Two things are possible: (a) the Board of T. may refuse an export liscence,^[[*]] in which case they stay anyway: and (b) you may think it unwise to take them due to saleability or price, in which case we can cook up a "problem" and return them to Stirling. ^[[*]]([[underlined]] License, [[/underlined]] I mean!)

The HORAE is, of course the better of the two, but has many features, some very agreeable such as extraordinarily wide margins, that do not occur in any of the Delft Mss.  The other may have an appeal to Archer Huntington, as having belonged to a King of Aragon. $ Twelve thousand$ for the two seems modest to me but we must submit even that to Stirling before selling.  I'm sure he will take it like a shot, however.   Chenue understands about Morris Gelb, as per your usual custom.

We discussed the [[pencil underline]] POMPEO LEONI [[/pencil underline]] at length; and he finally said that he would be satisfied, he thought, with something between 30 and 35,000 pounds nett to him.  [[pencil underline]] We also talked of an arrangement [[/pencil underline]] (mostly his proposal) of which I'll tell you. He has to pay out immediately it^[[']]s sold, 25% death duties.  You can see that he would have to pay less if it is"sold for 20,000"pounds.  I think you comprehend my arithmetic. He has a N. Y. connection^[[!]] It is a fine, agreeable picture and should fetch $125,000 if the K. Fd'tn. liked it. (That is my guess, of course and not mentioned to him)   He is thinking of selling his Zurburan, ST Catherine, recently cleaned and I believe published in color in the new Phaedon on that artist.