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[begin page 2 of 4] and I have seen almost ready our superb 7 Van Dycks the balance of the collection yours comes from. They are being photographed & in 3 weeks by the time they have thoroughly dried the frames will be ready. I would like to have had you in Paris with me to see them all under proper conditions & I assure you they are well worth a visit to Paris to see them. They represent about ($1,500,000.) a million and a half & at the present time they are all being held for your inspection approval or rejection. Will you come over and see them? I presume not, therefore, my present plan is to ship them from Havre Mch 23 & I sail from Naples by the Celtic Mch 20th. We should therefore arrive the same time which will enable me to show them to you in the public Stores, which is where they go for examination & is much better than the bonded warehouse where you saw the Gainsborough. The greatest picture Van Dyck ever painted

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