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[[underlined]]THE DOWNTOWN GALLERY[[/underlined]]

EDITH GREGOR HALPERT, Director
Consultation service by appointment

32 EAST 51 STREET
NEW YORK 22, N.Y.
Telephone: PLaza 3-3707

October 19, 1957

Mr. Germain Seligmann
Jacques Seligmann & Co., Inc.
5 East 57th Street
New York, N.Y.

Dear Mr. Seligmann:

Something very curious occurred recently which I am very eager to clear up.

At the dinner party given in honor of the opening of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Museum in Williamsburg, the Laurence Rockefellers chatted with me in the presence of James Rorimer, and during the conversation mentioned the fact that at the request of the Museum of Modern Art, Rewald had examined the Toulouse-Lautrec painting AU CAFE and declared it a forgery. When I mentioned that the painting was bought from your gallery via Cesar de Hauke in 1928, Rorimer chimed in and declared that in his opinion de Hauke was the great authority on Lautrec and that there should be no question about anything purchased through him. 

In any event, I am very eager to have this matter cleared and although I recall having some documentation at the time of purchase, so many years have elapsed that I cannot locate the material. Naturally I feel that it is important for me and also for your gallery to challenge this accusation and am writing to ascertain whether you could refer to your records or communicate with de Hauke in connection with this picture. I shall be most grateful for your cooperation.

My best regards,
Sincerely yours,
(signed) Edith Halpert

P.S. For your information, at the time, I offered to re-purchase the picture that evening, as I am in no position to act as an expert on Lautrec ^[[a]]nd although I am personally convinced of its authenticity, my word in this connection would be worthless.