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c/o SCOTT & FOWLES CO. 590 FIFTH AVENUE (BET. 47th & 48th STS.) NEW YORK TELEPHONE CONNECTION CABLE ADDRESS "SCOLES, NEW YORK"

Stamped in blue ink: OFFICE OF H,C,FRICK RECEIVED JAN 16 1912

Underlined: February 29, 1911.

Dear Mr Frick. I think perhaps that it would interest you to know all the details connected with the discovery of your Velazquez Philip IV. and how the picture came to be offered to me, but you will understand that, for obvious reasons, I must not mention names — Some ten years ago there was a card scandal in the highest circles of Austrian Society. The incident took place at the Château of Duc Robert de Bourbon Parme, father of Prince Elias, from whom I bought the picture. A gentleman whom we will call X was Duc Robert's very intimate friend, and a man holding a very exalted position at court. One fine day Mr X was detected cheating at cards, and so naturally had to vanish. He went to Paris where he has lived in great seclusion and under an assumed name ever since.