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August 28, 1974

Dear Bob,

I've been re-thinking our telephone conversation of last week and I've had some second thoughts about it, which I'd like to present to your for your re-consideration.

I wrote to you about the Pippin because I was about to change my personal property insurance and I thought if the Pippin had accrued in value I should increase the floater I had covering the pictures I own.  I did not write to you for information about the Pippin because I had any intention of selling it.

I originally bought the Pippin from you because I fell in love with the charm and simplicity of the work, and because I could afford to own that picture.  I did not buy it for speculative purposes.  I find it increasingly charming and intend to leave it to my daughter Anne.

It was only recently that my brother Edward Biberman, with whose painting you are familiar, called my attention to the fact that the picture was unsigned.  Frankly, when I bought it from you, the absence of Pippin's signature went unnoticed by me.  This was irresponsibility on my part.  However, it now occurs to me that it is your responsibility- as an owner of a gallery- to point out to a prospective buyer that a picture is unsigned.

However, let the past be!  Let us deal with the present.  In your first letter to me- in response to mine- you suggested that I send you a colored photograph of the Pippin of a stated size, as well as the dimensions of the picture, so that you could identify it, and issue me a Certificate of Provence.  All of which I did!

On the telephone the other evening, you insisted that I must send the picture itself east for you to see before you could issue the Certificate.  I must confess that I was hurt and taken aback by your insistence.  After all, I was not a total stranger who suddenly appeared out of nowhere with a Pippin and asked you to certify it.  I had been your friend for some years, and a good customer as well.  I had bought the Pippin from you, the Joe Hirsh, the Katy Kolwitz, the Hofer, as well as innumerable prints for myself and as gifts.