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116 East 53rd Street
New York 22, N.Y.

October 16, 1947

Dear François Gerard and Mr. Peck:

I am addressing this letter to both of you and for that reason am enclosing herein a copy.

That departure from Paris was really hectic and in such a way that I forgot to tell you many of the things I wanted to communicate to you. One of these:

Please hand over to Doré all the things that Laisne left upstairs. Ask him please whether he wishes it to be wrapped in paper or put together in another way. All the items should be unframed except the little miniature in the black frame, but the two frames that are with this lot should be used, the small one around the triple portrait by Degas, and the bigger one around the Carmontelle.

Rene Fulda is going to hand over to you a Commode belonging to Mona. Please put this with the pendule.

On the other hand, I had no time to hand over to Mario the papers concerning Cambo. Will you please do that for me?

We left porcelain in front of the window on the floor of the drawing room of Rue de Constantine. If you look at the soup dishes, you will find that they have a special pattern. If I am not mistaken, there are 24 or more of these. You will see among the plates a large number which have the same decor and also matching sauce boats (saucières) etc. They could be sold under the denomination of one service for 24 people, etc. That would leave a certain number of groups of separate plates, ten of this type, twenty of that, and so forth. A group of dishes, plates, etc., for 24 people has, as you know, much more value than separate sets with no link in between.

At Meyer and Halphen, Rue St. Honorè, on the left hand side, coming from the Rue de Castiglione and very close to that street going in the direction of the Rue Royale, we left a certain number of items to be re-silvered. They promised to deliver these by now; please join them to the demenagement.

The trip home was at the same time magnificent and frightful because the crossing to England was extremely difficult due to the Customs formalities and the enormous line for the passport visas which started on the boat on the departure from Calais and was not finished in Dover. Then came the Customs; London was filled like an egg. We nevertheless had rooms but what rooms!!! I reminded me of the war.

The boat on the ocean was so enormous that one could get lost on it and that one wouldn't meet people without making special appointment. I think that it contains five different bars for the first-class only. The worst of all was our arrival in New York where 830 first-class passengers pushed themselves onto

t.s.v.p.