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5 East 57th Street
New York 22, N.Y.

June 26, 1947

Dear Mr. Seligman:

I revert to your letter of June 20th with respect to the purchase of the three paintings.
Selling price....... Ffcs. 752,500.
Plus 21.4%.......... 161,035.
Ffcs. 913,535
Less 2.7%........... 12,317
Total Cost.......... Ffcs. 901,318

which really should read Ffcs. 901,218.- as there is an error of Ffcs.100.- in the subtraction. However, what I wish to point out to you is the fact that the 2.7% reduction, which I think is based on the sum of Ffcs. 752,500.-, amounts to, according to my calculation, Ffcs.20,517.-; in other words a difference in our favor of Ffcs.8,000.-, or taking the error of Ffcs.100.- into consideration, a total of Ffcs.8,100.-

APARTMENT - I put away the Marinot glasses, bronzes, etc., in your liquor closet.

ENAMELS - A check of these plaques brought to the gallery for safekeeping discloses that the one with the hole in the center representing Christ and two angels is missing. I looked around for it in your apartment, but could not find it. As this worries me quite a bit, I wondered whether you put it away in some particular place or disposed of it otherwise. Will you please let me know?

CHENUE - He informs us that the case containing the Van der Weyden belonging to Mr. Schiff is loaded on the SS "America" leaving Southampton on June 26, 1947. I instructed McKay Morant to effect separate marine insurance for the cost price of $3,200.-, which they already confirmed by cable.

SHIPMENT SCHIFF - SS "WISCONSIN" - On June 20th, Mr. Gelb phoned to give me the bad news that the Customs examiner had refused the free entry of the marble statuette of a lady, as in his opinion it was a modern replica, giving us, therefore, the alternative of either returning the whole shipment to France or paying duties and penalties in the sum of $120.-. I immediately instructed Mr. Gelb to ask for a reconsideration of this entry and submitted all the data on this item I had here, such as the catalog of the sale Schiff at Christies, our original shipping and insurance lists, etc. This morning the examiner called me on the phone, and after a long conversation with him during which I specifically pointed out your reputation as expert in such matters, as well as the reputation of our firm, he reversed his original decision and is now admitting this item as an antique work of art, that is duty free. Delivery of this shipment will now definitely be made some time next week.

REMOVAL OF OUTSIDE SIGN - At the request of the owner, Mrs. Lewis, and with no explanation for such action, the superintendent removed all signs on either side of the outside entrance, to be returned to their respective owners. While I think it

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AIR
MAIL

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-03-19 17:31:36.