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June 22nd., 1943.

Dear Mr. Francis:

Your interesting letter of June 16th., was duly received and I immediately rush to the FricK Library, where I found the reference in "Formes" and also the catalogue of the "B. D." collection, to be sold on December 12th., 1929 and comprising sixteen paintings.

The normal seqeunce was to find out whether the auction took place, but a great many of the French publications, etc., having been taken to safety for the duration, I will have to go to the library of the Metropolitan Museum in order to get the final clew.

However, may I say that if I am mystified about the auction it is, I gather, as different grounds than you are, as whatever we ultimately find out about this will not modify my previous statements - the painting was purchased by me from B-D shortly before the war, in fact in 1939. The "Bal a Bougival," which by the way was not included in the above mentioned catalogue, was also purchased directly from B-D, but several years ealier, as at that time the owner didn't want to part with "Romaine Lacaux". My surprise is due to my never having heard of the auction and never having been a reference to it, and finally the lack of reason for having held such an auction. The catalogue, which I read carefully, doesn't give any of the possible causes which are intimated in my last letter t oyou, such as inheritance, "indivision", minors, etc..

T.S.V.P........