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Page 3. Germain Seligmann, Esq.

March 28th, 1935

FRANKFURTER - Frankfurter brought in Mrs. Schmidlapp. She is a woman who has no reactions whatsoever and Frankfurter told me that she had been with him to Drey & Knoedler, and has shown no interest whatsoever in any of the pictures she had seen.
[[right margin]] MRS.SCHMIDLAPP [[/right margin]]

Frankfurter is taking her to the Rosenfeld apartment, and I am going to be there to try and interest her in one of the picture up there. The fact that it is in a private collection might be an attraction.

Trevor knows her and has been in her house in Cincinnati, and all she owned was three inferior primitives which she brought from Newhouse.

THYSSEN - I heard today that Thyssen had bought, not only the Kahn CARPACCIO, but also the Kahn BOTTICELLI, and the Morgan Fra ANGELICO.

DALE-DAVID - The Dale David was an inferior, very much repainted picture, which turned up at auction - I was told, a year ago.

MR. ALLEN - I went to the country to Mr. Frederick Allen's house - he is the father of Julian Allen, who is with Morgan. His four Tapestries are medallion subjects. I am trying to get the price. They might do for Francis Gilbert's client.

HENRY GOLDMAN - I thought it was diplomatic to call on Henry Goldman because of his influence on Francis Kohlman. Due to his long friendship with Stephen Scott he is pushing Scott as much as he can, and it is with desperate efforts and great expense that I manage to keep in close touch with Kohlman. He went west for two weeks and he told me again that upon his return he thought he would buy our picture.

GEORGE BLUMENTHAL - Due to the fact that George Blumenthal spoke to me about the "Billet Doux", I got a price of $250,000.- from Bache for it. George Blumenthal told me that a picture like that maybe they would pay $100,000.-, but he is neither anxious nor in a hurry to get it.

I saw Wehle yesterday and on account of my good relations with him now, when I reported the conversation to him he said "Ah! That is why Mr. Blumenthal spoke to me about the "Billet Doux" and its value". When Mr. Blumenthal mentioned to him $100,000.- for the picture, Wehle told me that he thought the picture was worth more. With the vagueness of Wehle I am practically convinced that the conversation was not carried any further. I am under the impression that Wehle is all powerful in his department, from the stories he tells me, such as the SASSETTA - WATTEAU story.

I showed Mr. Blumenthal our "Portrait of Hubert Robert", thinking it would be the psychological moment to show him a $40,000.- picture after having mentioned $250,000. for the other one. He gave a look at the picture and said he wouldn't have it as a gift.

HIPKISS - We had the visit of Hipkiss, who was very much interested in the Boxwood Madonna from Demotte. I pushed him all I could on the LAURANA, and one hopeful point in that direction is that Edgell made a special study of Federigo, Duke of Urbino. It appears that in true Bostonian fashion, Mr. Chandler Post, who has not been in to see the bas-relief, is supposed ??? to have some doubt about it. I don't know if it is true because I have it from a source of questionable reliability.

t.s.v.p........

Transcription Notes:
Reopened for Editing 2024-02-03 02:58:17 adjusted paragraph beginnings to follow previous letter formats of this matter type. same with margin, see last page. fixed typos, sent back to review. These men were so busy, they must have been very charming! ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-03 10:33:23