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

June 28th., 1948

Dear F-G:

As your office has been advised, both the Picasso and the Fantin have reached us in good condition. I am indeed delighted to have them both here, and anew wish to express my thanks to you for having personally taken care so successfully of the Picasso matter, for calling my attention to it, its purchase, and shipping.

I did not realise, it is true  that it was quite as sketchy, or at least that the background was completely devoid of all blue, but the superb movement and the weight of the figures make up for this deficiency.

Thanks also for the indication you give me about Tabarant. It is very difficult to judge from those reproductions, but as I am not in the financial mood to buy Manet paintings anyway, at their present prices, it does not matter too much. If and when I am in Paris again we can go to see him together.

While we are on the topic of collections, may I remind you of Theodore Mantes. Do let me know at your convenience whether you have any way of seeing their collection, as, prior to your going, I would call your attention to specific items.

Now, I want to ask you whether you still have the two Coysevox marble busts, and also the two angels with wings, a bas-relief which originally must have been an altar? As regards these two items, could you tell me whether they could leave France without any difficulty, and at what net price they could be consigned to me for a period of six months with a purchase option?
I hesitate doing anything in this connection in view of the terrific breakage risk etc, and shipping and packing expenses, but I may do so, nevertheless, according to your answer. When you write, will you also give me an estimate from your packer, as to the cost of packing these marbles in double cases.

With much love,

(Germain Seligman)

Monsieur Francois Gerard Seligmann
Seligmann & Cie.
23 Place Vendome
Paris
France

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