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RML:R

3 East 51st Street
New York, New York
September 17th, 1937

Dear Germain:

Herewith is the photograph of the so-called David from Schatzker, together with copies of the correspondence. It looks to me like a fake, or in any case a very weak copy of the well-known "Portrait of Pope Pius VII" in the Louvre. I am sending you the photograph because of the possibility that I might be wrong in my suppositions in which case you might be interested to follow it up.

I also have several exhibition catalogues and photographs of old master drawings from Dr. Walter Gernsheim, 5 Stratford Place, London, whom I saw when I was in London. This gentleman is a young German who has opened up a gallery in London and specializes entirely in drawings. Rather than send you over the whole correspondence, photographs, etc., I will merely outline in a brief a few things. This man has drawings by the Carracci's, Tiepolo, Guercino and the whole Baroque School as well as several other Northern drawings. Frankly, I was not terrible impressed by the general quality of some of these things but he has a few interesting items and most of these things are very reasonably priced. For instance on the price list which he has given me, they run from £5.- to £155.- In any case, I am writing this information is case you should be going to London again before sailing and you might like to stop in there. On second thought I am enclosing two photographs of two drawings which I consider most interesting. The one is a theatre scene by Guercino with an exceptionally interesting history and a tremendous pedigree which comes from the Beurdeley collection. I have no price on it. The other is a portrait by Agostino Carracci which I find very attractive. The price of this drawing is £52.-

Will you be good enough to bring the photographs back here with you as I would like to keep this whole set complete.

September 23rd, 1937

FRANCIS TAYLOR - I am enclosing herewith a letter just received from him which is self-explanatory, together, of course, with my reply to him. Kindly note that the price mentioned in his letter is $5500 whereas the price quoted to him really was $5000, I believe. I personally feel that this is either a typographical error on the part of his secretary or that he delibertly mentioned this figure so as to take advantage of the 10% discount to the Museum which, of course, would bring the final figure down to $5000. I must say this whole thing looks very good and I am frankly delighted about it.

t.s.v.p.

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