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Royall Tyler to Mildred Barnes Bliss, December 8, 1928

League of Nations
Genève
8.XII.28Saturday.

After leaving you at the station, dearest Mildred, I went to Bacri. He says he had ‘frais’“Expenses.” over and above the auction price of £2257.10.0 paid for the ivory.The discussion evidently concerns an ivory (BZ.1929.2) that Mildred Barnes Bliss and Royall Tyler had seen together in Paris. I told him they couldn’t amount to much and he must make a reduction for an old client. He said he’d try, and would let me know, and promised solemnly that he wouldn’t dispose of the ivory until and unless you said you wouldn’t have it. Even if you have to pay £3000, it’s a thing you’d never see again on the market, in all likelihood.

I also went to Kalebdjian. He has already come down so much on the Piazza della Consolazione jewels that I didn’t expect any further reduction there—they really are very cheap at Frs. 130,000. He came down 2000 fr. on the duck necklace—to Fr. 10,000—it being understood that the whole lot is Frs. 140,000. I think that is a very cheap price for things of such quality and rareness. Just imagine that Frankfurt GoldschmidtJulius Falk Goldschmidt (1882–1964), an owner of the jewelry and antiquities firm J. and S. Goldschmidt in Frankfurt. asking over double that price for that one gold cross, which I don’t consider as good as the pendants alone.

Salter was most grateful for your message. He’ll communicate with you as soon as he reaches America, which will be towards the middle of Jan. I think. He expects to be in Washington for only a week about mid-Feb., but it’s possible he may be able to skip the March meeting here, in which case he might stay over there longer. I do hope it will be possible for him to do so. Do chirrup to him and let him perch on your finger.

It is so good to have the memory and the glow of those days in Paris. It was better than ever.

With love to you and Robert

Always yours
R. T.

Please don’t forget to go and look at the Sassanian things at Brummer’s.These Sasanian objects have not been identified. In a letter of January 21, 1929, Mildred Barnes Bliss wrote Ernest Brummer: “When sailing from Paris in December, Mr. Royall Tyler asked me to see a collection of Sassanian objects of which Mrs. Cole Porter had spoken to him. I hope you still have these objects and that you may be able to send me photographs of them.” Byzantine Collection files, Brummer Gallery 1914–1938.

As soon as I hear Bacri’s last price for the ivory I’ll write again.

 
Associated Things: Bacri Frères; Kalebdjian Frères
Associated Artworks: BZ.1928.7; BZ.1928.8-17; BZ.1929.2