Letter from Charles S. Carstairs to Henry Clay Frick, 2 October 1908

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HOTEL DU PALAIS BIARRITZ
DIRECTION PATTARD
2 Octr. [October] 1908.
Dear Mr. [Frick]
I agree with you the "Cottage Girl" would not be an addition to your collection.
I promised to return Agnew the photograph so kindly send it to me. I am sorry the 2 Gainsboroughs Lord & Lady De Dunstansville [Dunstanville] are so expensive, as I should very much like to see them in your collection. Its a pity we didn't buy them direct from Bassett, which I had the opportunity of doing 4 and again 2 years ago, but the amount
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of money was too large for us to arrange & I didn't particularly care for the "Cottage Girl" It was of course necessary to take the three.
I am enclosing you a photograph of a Hobbema I concluded the purchase of just before leaving London & put the photograph by mail yesterday. It is the size of your "Lac de Garde" by Corot or your "Sea Piece" by Turner.
A very beautiful picture of the highest quality & absolutely perfect condition. No finer Hobbema exists. I am having a larger photograph
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prepared by Braun of Paris, but this will give you an idea of the beauty of the subject.
Hobbema is a very rare and extremely beautiful painter and I think you could very well have another in your collection. The price is $85.000. 10% off to you.
85/965
Do you recall the Terburg "Card Party" I showed you last winter in the custom house? I saw the owner while passing through Paris & I fear this beautiful example of Terburg's art will be withdrawn from the market in a
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month or 2. He has increased the price to £10.000. and it would cost you $56.000. delivered, but it is well worth it text missing you may go the balance of your life without having the opportunity of securing so beautiful and important an example.
I think you err in considering it too small. The Dutch genre pictures are all small but it is a marvelous School and I am anxious to see your collection grow stronger in each great school. I think all things considered the Dutch interests me more than any other and by not neglecting
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HOTEL DU PALAIS BIARRITZ
DIRECTION PATTARD
opportunities you can gradually get together really representative examples. You must remember you cant make a mistake by buying, for you can always resell the great mistake in our business is failure to appreciate the desirability of a picture when it is to be had. I notice this trait in many dealers and a proper knowledge of what should be bought is 90% of our business.
We came here by motor arriving Sunday night, a most beautiful run and
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good weather. This is a beautiful place & a charming hotel. We stay until Monday night and then go to Madrid, there is just an opportunity of getting something. I would like to get you a really fine Goya, he is such a beautiful painter at his best, also a really splendid Velasquez, this of course may never come but let us hope so. I will return here and motor to Monte Carlo by way of Pau, Toulouse, Avignon. I have to go to Turin to see some pictures also to Genoa & possibly to Rome to see a Van Dyck. Also to the Austrian
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frontier to see two Titians. All these things may be useless as one takes ten journeys and achieves one success, however I might come across something very important.
There are certain things in prospect but nothing I can speak of as they are all mere possibilities naturally I will keep you posted as to everything we get and everything in the market.
None of the dealers have anything I would care to see you buy. There is a large Murillo owned by Agnew Wertheimer & Sulley very ex
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pensive and not the character picture to buy. They also have a large Cuyp £25.000 but it wont compare with the beautiful example I showed you last winter with the Terburg. They have a Hobbema £20.000. not worth 1/2 of the one I have just purchased - etc etc. These pictures came from the Ashburton collection.
Roland sails 17 Octr. [October] and I expect to sail by the Kaiser Wilhelm II 25 Novr. [November] or possibly by the Lusitania 21 Novr. [November]. Betty joins me in kindest regards.
Sincerely Yours
Charlie Carstairs
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