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THE AMERICAN CLUB
95 PICCADILLY
LONDON W.1. 

May 8th 1954

Dear Germain: 

This will acknowledge your cable and letter of May 5 with suitable thanks. Last evening I sent you a second nightletter informing you of my flight to Scotland Sunday...and return same day. Also my interview with Wooderson and his attitude. I will enlarge. 

A. I had a visit with [[underlined]]Stirling,[[/underlined]] who has just returned from Indo-China where he is building a $30,000,000. dam, power-plant and irrigation canals for 1,000,000 acres. Needless to say the money comes from the International Bank. He said that explained his neglect in answering me, but that Susy (his wife) had sent him a [[underlined]]rocket[[/underlined]] reproaching him. We then got down to facts....he still feels he ought to get good prices, etc. Suggested that I come up Sunday and discuss what could be arrived at, especially to have another look at the Mss and see what we could get for them. He is so badgered with phone calls in his office he wanted to sit down quietly at home and talk it out, so I have agreed. We reviewed the letter I wrote in November and I think he is somewhat dis-abused of the idea that he can get big prices. It's worth the try and I am prepared to see what can be done. His car is meeting me at Glasgow at 11:20 and will return me there for the evening plane. 

B. [[underlined]]Wooderson[[/underlined]] was very amiable; explained that the Estate will not be settled until December; that they are certainly interested in knowing beforehand where they can "place certain items to advantage" and said to keep in touch with him and to write him in October. He is not so resistant as last time, in fact seems quite interested. I again spoke of the Seurat and my letter suggesting [[underlined]] sixty-seventy thousand.[[/underlined]] He would not admit that is was interesting, but was willing to say again, that [[underlined]]certain items[[/underlined]] would be discussed at that time. 

c. Went to [[underlined]]Brinsley Ford's[[/underlined]] house for an hour, and got a lot of true details about the prices being fetched in the auction-rooms for good drawings...(a good but not very definite Guardi at Sotheby's went for 5,500. Etc.) He asked me what my client would pay for the Reisats and I said he had thrown up his hands at my remark that Mr Ford had playfully mentioned 5,000. pounds. He kept at me until I said I felt he [[underlined]]might go to three thousand pounds.[[/underlined]] Ford said that is only 1,500 each, a very low price for a drawing by Ingres, and this is the best [[underlined]]pair[[/underlined]] in England. Etc, Etc. However he admitted that he sometimes sells, when he knows of something he might like to buy. We parted on excellent terms, and he said he will give thought to the idea. 

D. Campbell Dodgson died five years ago, leaving his drawings to the British Museum, of which he was Keeper of Prints and Dwgs for 40 years. His wife had the right to retain for her use, as many as she wanted for her lifetime. I went to see her and found that she had [[underlined]]died last week.[[/underlined]] Her secretary admitted me, and we went through those in the flat, but the Seurat was not there and [[underlined]]none[[/underlined]] of importance. She is sure the Seurat is in the B. M.

E. Captain Loyd. I telephoned Lockinge House...got no response and tried again the next day. To my surprise the servant said Capt