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THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS OF THE CITY OF DETROIT ARTS COMMISSION RALPH H. BOOTH, PRESIDENT ALBERT KAHN. EDSEL B. FORD. CHARLES T. FISHER, COMMINSSIONERS W.R VALENTINER, ART DIRECTOR CLYDE H. BURROUGHS, SECRETARY November 5, 1928. CL Mr. Rene Seligmann, 3 East 51st Street, New York City. Dear Mr. Seligmann: Thank you very much for informing me that you are shipping for us the three Blumenthal ivories. Confidentially, I want to say that it seems to me that the valuation put on these three objects is exceedingly high. I therefore would prefer it, if you could return the square plaque which I saw at Mr. Blumenthal's house and which is German tenth century and would not fit in at all with our French Gothic exhibit from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century. Since I can't imagine that the ivory case and the ivory plaque French fourteenth century could be valued for more than $10,000 or at the outside $15,000, I would think that Mr. Blumenthal valued the early German plaque at $20,000. So if we do not take it for the exhibition, I suppose that we do not have to insure the other two objects for more than $15,000, which is already quite a good deal for us with all the objects which we receive from private collectors, who are inclined to place extraordinary valuation on their objects. I hope you can explain it to Mr. Blumenthal in such a way that his feelings will not be hurt. If you have already shipped the German plaque with the others, I shall have it returned by hand by some one of my acquaintances who is going to New York, and would ask you to give it back to Mr. Blumenthal before the exhibition opens. Thanking you so much for letting us have the interesting objects from your own collection, I am Yours very sincerely, W.R. Valentiner WRV/C
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