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Royall Tyler to Robert Woods Bliss, October 22, 1937 [2]

Burlington Fine Arts Club,

17, Savile Row, London, W.1

22.X.37

Dear Robert.

Sorry about the invoice for Stephen.BZ.1937.19. I had got it into my head that it wasn’t any longer required. I can’t see about it myself, but have spoken to a friend in the Embassy here, who will help Bill to get it.

Now. Burg,Dr. Hermann Burg, a dealer in London at 32 St. James Street. 32 St. James St., who had the Persian textileBZ.1937.25. you’ve got Bill to get for you, now has the lion-tamer textileBZ.1937.29. from Düsseldorf reproduced in our Vol. II, Pl. 184B. He wants £250 for it. Dimensions, 11 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.

I adore that bit—the best rendering of a lion in all art, perhaps. Look how the king of beasts flattens himself out like a hearth-rug to duck the arrow. And it’s lovely in colour, tho’ faded. I strongly advise you to get it. Burg is away until after I leave. If you want Bill to act for you, cable him direct, please “get rider silk” or something of the sort, and he’ll try to get Burg to come down on the £250—though I don’t consider that too high. Happily the V. & A. has a more or less similar oneProbably textile fragment, ca. 400–600, wool, Victoria and Albert Museum, acc. no. 279-1889. (not 1/10th as good, really), so they probably won’t compete.

Yrs

R. T.

 
Associated People: William Royall Tyler
Associated Things: L'art byzantin
Associated Artworks: BZ.1937.19; BZ.1937.25; BZ.1937.29