From H.E. Partridge & Co.
Tobacco Merchants, General Importers & Manufacturers'
Agents
Established 1873.
H.E.P.
Cable Address:
"Partridge, Auckland."
P.O. Box 14. Telephone 380
Auckland, N.Z.
7th. March, 1906
Dear Mr. Hamilton,
By yours of the 28th. ult., I note that the N.Z. Government
consider Ten thousand pounds too high a price for my collection of
pictures.
I am at a loss to understand how they could arrive at such
decision, seeing that no member of the Government, nor anyone else,
for that matter, has seen the full collection. Besides, I have been
assured that, if I send the Collection to Christie's in London,
they would realize double, and perhaps treble, the value I have
asked.
My principal reason for thinking of disposing of the Collection
is the fact that my lease of the premises, where I have had the
Collection on free view for the past five years, expires about the
end of 1908. I cannot afford to rent or build other suitable
premises, therefore must dispose of the Collection, here or
elsewhere.
On several occasions, I have been offered considerable sums, by
gentlemen connected with large English, American, and European Art
Publishing firms and Photographers, for the right of reproducing
these pictures, but knowing that I would some day have to part with
the Collection, and also that the intact Copyrights, constituted a
considerable part of their value, I have up till now refused all
such offers. For the foregoing reason, I regret being unable to
give you permission to have copies painted for your Museum
With yourself, I regret that I was away from Auckland at the
time of your visit. When you are again contemplating coming North,
I hope that you will drop me a line, so that I may, if possible,
have the pleasure of meeting you here.
With best regards,
Believe me,
Faithfully yours,
[H.E. Partridge]
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