Sale of paintings from the Hermitage collection

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от Wladzislaw

For his work paid auktsionnnye prices. And you obviously do not understand nicherta prices ...

Gulbenkian, "Memorandum" Pyatakov, July 17, 1930.

"(...) After all the above you may ask why I am writing to you about this when I myself aspire to acquire these products.

You probably remember that I always recommend that you and I continue to advise your representatives do not sell your museum values, but if you still want to sell them, then give me a preference for equity prices, and asked me to keep abreast of what you intend to sell.
The public has a lot of talk about these sales, which, in my opinion, cause enormous damage to your credibility (especially the sale, Mr. Mellon, who is in sight). It is possible that in some cases in America and you will achieve higher prices than offered by me. However, the unsuitability of transactions carried out in such a way so significant in terms of prestige, promotion and publicity, that I have only wonder that you still go to them.


Trade with what you want, but not what is in the museum displays. Ask for what constitutes a national treasure, gives cause for serious diagnosis.


If, despite all the above, you still decide to sell your valuables from the museum (and I insist that you do not), then instead of, to sell them to intermediaries, let everyone in on the public sale of market, because the naive game of hide and seek, now practiced, will bring only losses. Those who are assigned to these operations, are not aware of that report, ignoring the huge indirect damage caused by them. I laughed when one of them told me that during the French Revolution also sold collection of Versailles. What a naive simplicity, that the ignorance of the era and circumstances! "
 
I have identified.