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September 14th, 1937

exhibition for next February and was anxious to have any information that we might have or any that might be available.  I told him about our two pictures and he will, no doubt, get in touch with you about them.  We also spoke of Mr. Worcester for Rich is making a catalogue of his collection, as you no doubt know.  Worcester, it seems, is constantly in the market for both old and modern masters and it was he who was [[strikethrough]] interested [[/strikethrough]] instrumental in buying the large and very beautiful Piazzetta last year for the Institute.  This picture, however, was bought under very extraordinary circumstances which I will tell you about on your return, and for very little money.  Further, as you remember, he bought the Titian from Wildenstein for the Institute last year and I am sure that picture cost at least $50,000.  Worcester was out of town when I was there, but Max Epstein who seems to know him intimately, said he would be delighted to put me in touch with him the next time I came out there. 

COLLECTORS - Mr. Worcester as far as I can make out seems to be the most active collector in Chicago.  I had long talks with Rich, Max Epstein and Alice Roullier as well as other people at this time regarding new buyers and possible collectors, and I report again what news I have told you during the last years that there doesn't seem to be a sign of a new buyer in Chicago; that those who are interested in art are very upset and annoyed at this because there is the money to buy in Chicago but nobody seems to have been able to make a dent, and I came back with the news that we and Wildenstein (through Worcester) seem to be the only ones who have done business there last year, and we have certainly done the major portion.  You may be interested to know, however, that Chauncey McCormick sponsored the Wildenstein exhibition at the Quest Galleries last spring which I heard about from all sides.  From what I heard it was quite an elegant affair and a first-class exhibition given for charity with an admission charge and lectures on the pictures almost every day.  The exhibition had every encouragement and set-up for being a perfect success and it was well attended--results, there was not one picture sold!

RYERSON - I saw him one day at lunch.  He had just returned from the west and Mrs. Ryerson was still out in Santa Barbara and was not returning before my departure for New York.  He was most cordial and he was very pleased with his Redon. I subsequently learned from Rich that they would still like to acquire a Cézanne landscape which you remember she was always interested in and so was he. I mention this most strongly at this time because I feel that we should have some Cézannes in stock anyway and I remind you again of the two Cézannes which I saw at Mathiessen's in London and which I believe you saw.  I understand that you were not particularly enthusiastic about these pictures but I should like to mention them again because I find them very attractive and I think saleable.  The only great objection I see is that one is rather small and correspondingly rather high in price.  However, would it not be an interesting proposition to buy a share in these pictures, possibly at a lower figure than they mentioned

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