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PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Box 7646, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 . Telephone: 215 763-8100 . Cable: Philmuse

March 19, 1976

Mrs. Robert Carlen
323 South 16th Street
Philadelphia, Pa. 19102

Dear Mrs. Carlen:

I have been apprised of your concern about the Museum's acknowledgement process and the Museum's Permanent Member category. I would like to explain both of them to you in the hope this will clear up your questions.

A person in the Permanent Member category, according to the Museum by-laws, is defined as "anyone who makes an initial gift in goods or money of at least $2500 ($1000 prior to 1974)." These members are then put on Permanent Member rolls of the Museum after which all their gifts are added together, and they are raised accordingly to various levels within the category of Permanent Member. The initial base, however, is their gift of $2500.

Since museums do not appraise works of art for donors they must rely upon information the donors give to them concerning their own outside appraisals. Generally donors will provide copies of appraisals made for Internal Revenue Service purposes. 

Since the time of your Pippin painting gift in 1941, we have received no copy of any appraisal figure for the work at the time of the gift. If you have any such documentation that demonstrates its value at the time of your gift, we would be delighted to enter the information in our files and, if it is over $1000, to welcome you as a Permanent Member of the Museum.

We, of course, are delighted with your concern and interest in the Museum and hope that this has answered your questions. If, however, there seems to be any problem, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Philip M. Thompson
Philip M. Thompson
Assistant Director for Development

cc: 
Evan H. Turner, Director
Barbara Chandler, Registrar