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127.

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Hotel Du Parc
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Proprietaire
O. Mazloumian (Baron)
Alep (Syrie

June 19th, 1908

Dear Mr. Kennedy:-

Aleppo is a charming surprise - a beautiful ancient city, and in every way more attractive than I had fancied.  It is the nearest city to Racca, an old-time caravan town filled with artistic treasure!  The store house from which Kelekian, Kalebdjian and Noorian have drawn their supplies for years.  Tourists have as yet never been here - the railroad only recently finished - and the dreaded Aleppo boil a menace to even all of the dealers, excepting Tabbagh, who was born here and who first recognized the artistic quality of Racca pottery.  Not more than a half dozen Americans have as yet visited this locality.  I am in the best of hands here and in direct contact with the original discoveries of the arts of Racca.  There's more than pottery - and all is beautiful!  I am now more than ever satisfied with every piece of Racca pottery purchased for my collection from the beginning.  I have, since coming, secured twenty additional pieces which we hope to ship to England - a dangerous business, but if confiscation by the Turkish officials is avoided, my collection will be greatly enriched - made absolutely the finest extant.  [[omit]] I have paid on account of this purchase £200 and have made draft for the amount on my letter of credit through the "Banque Imperiale Ottomann" of "Alep" - Aleppo.  Making total drafts on L/C to date £1,725 The balance of cost of my purchase here is to be paid by me in London after the pottery shall have been delivered there in care of Brown, Shipley & Co. [[/omit]] Racca proper cannot be visited now because of millions of grasshoppers in the desert lying between here and Racca and even in this city which have poisoned the water along the toute - so that horses or camels cannot make the journey.  Water could be carried for the soldiers and myself but not enough for the animals.  I must return sometime in March or October to see Racca proper, but Aleppo is Racca for all but romantic purposes.  Still, I should like to see the deserted old ruins from which this matchless pottery is being rescued.  The finest specimens come from Racca proper.  Inferior specimens and other fine examples as well, are being found in other localities on the Euphrates, in and near Mesopotamia.  Tomorrow, I shall leave for the mountains for change of air.

Kindly show to Col. Hecker.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed(  C.L.F.