LETTERHEAD H. C. FRICK, PITTSBURGH, PA.

NEW YORK ADDRESS 640 FIFTH AVENUE /LETTERHEAD

RUBBER STAMP OFFICE OF H. C. FRICK RECEIVED JAN 16 1912 FOWARDED REFERRED ANSWERED /RUBBER STAMP

I am despatching SIC the Metsu according to your instructions to Prides Crossing Mass.

The Rembrandt copy is just finished or will be in a day or two, The SIC artist has worked very hard at it, getting to work at 6.00 am. but although the picture has a general air of broad and rapid handling, one finds this is deception and that in reality the figure of the rider is finished with a quite viewloving wealth of detail which is yet so subordinated that it never catches the eye until one proceeds to a minute examination. Mr SIC McEvoy who copied it has done an extraordinarily beautiful work and is much more enthusiastic about the picture at the end than he was even at the begining SIC, He SIC thinks it far finer than the National Gallery Rembrandts which he has copied, The Insurance Company are arranging to send it out at the end of this week under personal charge & I have notified Tice & Lynch to facilitate its reception.

Now as to two important pictures of which you may care to have news. I. The Holbein published in the Burlington Magazine for July, this is of course a very interesting and important picture and may well be the last Holbein of such importance to come into the markets. I don't know what price is being asked for it, I dont SIC say that it is not worth a very high price but in considering its value I wish you to know that while the dress and hands are in excellent condition and as beautiful as anything Holbein did at this period the face has been considerably retouched & has lost its