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MARCH 13 1907

C.L.F #2

"Mr. Happer has not much art appreciation (I say it in confidence), nor has he the mind of a student. He is a shrewd American business man, who files and classifies his prints with the same accuracy that he gives his business affairs. He seems to have a real enthusiasm for this collection, but he evidently did not love it, for if he did, he would not want to sell it."

"The most remarkable and alluring print was the Chiushingura on a bridge - a triptych in this form-

[[image]]

He claimed it to be the rarest of all Hiroshige's works. It seemed to me a genuine fine old print in perfect condition. I saw Koba again and again about this print, but he professes ignorance, at least he did profess ignorance until this year, when he suddenly produced a reproduction of this print! However, I could not make the reproduction quite tally with my remembrance of the composition.

"Now, of course, Mr. Happer has added this to his collection, and has changed it much since I saw it. He has also given up the oil business, and now lives at Kobe. I should not wish to answer for his correctness, or vouch for him in any way whatsoever. I have never had any business dealings with him. Once in awhile I hear of his sending prints over here to sell. Mr. John Cotton Dana of the Newark (N.J.) Public Library, has bought prints of Mr. Happer, and seemed pleased. I have not seen what he sent."

Now, as I wrote you, it appears to me to be impossible for me to think of attempting to purchase any such large collection, involving considerable money, which Mr. Happer's collection seems to require. At the same time, if it is entirely convenient to you, and you are in his neighborhood, I would very much like to have your opinion of his collection, and find out what he asks for it. The forging of prints, now-a-days, is so extraordinary, that, unless one is supercritical, he is bound to be deceived, and the purchase of a collection of prints, which has been made at this late day, is pretty certain to include a lot of spurious prints. Such prints have been coming to this country, during the last few years, in surprising numbers and extraordinary quality of workmanship. The only way I could control such a collection as his, would be to purchase

Transcription Notes:
image - drawing of the bridge