Letter from A.E. Stanley Clarke to Henry Clay Frick, 30 March 1916

APR 20 1916
FORWARDED from NY
REFERRED
ANSWERED
81 Goldstone Villas,
Hove,
Sussex.
30 March 1916
Dear Mr. Frick
I once had the pleasure of meeting you in New York when staying at Newport on a visit to Mr. Goelet some years ago so that I can hardly expect you will remember my humble existence

but knowing your interest in art, I am sending you photographs of the most important of my family collection of paintings by Great Masters, which owing to losses due to the war, I have to sell

& I thought some of them might interest you. Short histories of each painting are written on the backs of the photographs, but I would add a few remarks about the Hoppner picture
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entitled "the flower gatherers," being the Morgan children of Romsey, 1804. I lent this picture for exhibition at the Bond Street Art Gallery London in 1902, as you will see by enclosed press cutting from the review & at that time was offered £12,000 for it, but it was not then for sale, & afterwards when Hoppner prices advanced so considerably it was valued for insurance by E.H. Stanley & C. Davis the art experts to his majesty at twenty thousand pounds. Prior to the war, I have always refused to sell this picture as being one the late King Edward's favourites, my father, who was chief Equerry to his majesty, expressed a wish that I should not part with it except under unavoidable circumstances, which now have unfortunately arisen. Alas for these times! nobody in England is now buying & it is very difficult to sell anything here.
By approaching you personally it considerably lowers the prices, there being no commission to pay & reduction owing to war prices here makes it an exceptional opportunity from a purchasers point of view.
I am prepared to accept £10000 for the Hoppner "The Flower Gatherers," this is half the valuation price, & it is looked upon as quite his masterpiece

I send photo of the sworn affidavit & documentary pedigree of this picture. The companion Hoppner painting "The Two Rods" was originally painted for the Baird family, relations of my family on my mother's side & this I am reducing the valuation price by £2000 & would accept £4000.
The painting by George Romney of Lady
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Hamilton I have reduced £600 & will accept £1500. The companion study belongs to Lord Rothschild. "St. George & the Dragon" by Sir Joshua Reynolds I am asking £1000, & the "Recruiting" by J.B. Greuze also £1000. They are all excessively fine & rare examples of the great masters & I only hope some of them may interest you. I ask specially low prices, as I am really forced to realize upon them.
Perhaps when you have quite finished with the photographs you will, of your kindness, have them returned to me by Registered post, & with kind regards, believe me
Yrs very truly
A.E. Stanley Clarke
Captain

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