ARTHUR CHESTER A Letter Signed CA Arthur as Collector of the

Sale 2413 - Lot 89

Price Realized: $ 845

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 400 - $ 600

ARTHUR, CHESTER A. Letter Signed, "C.A. Arthur," as Collector of the Port of NY, to Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Charles James Faulkner, recommending that the lesser of two wildly differing appraisals of a gift from the Khedive of Egypt to General Sherman's daughter be kept confidential [to avoid embarrassment]. 2 pages, 4to, "Custom House" stationery, written on a single folded sheet; remnants of prior mounting on terminal page along center fold, faint staining along left margin, horizontal folds. (TFC) New York, 6 May 1876

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". . . [I]n relation to the present of certain jewels from the Khedive of Egypt to Mrs. Fitch, the daughter of General Sherman, . . . the U.S. Appraiser . . . reports the total number of the diamonds to be 666; and that, an Examiner . . . has valued the jewels at the sum of $15,720.00 . . . .
"I have also had the diamonds examined in my presence by Mr. Charles L. Tiffany and Charles J. Cook . . . who report that the diamonds are . . . of such a quality that there can hardly be said to be a market price for them here. . . . [T]he estimate formed by the public . . . is an exaggerated one. . . . [P]erhaps it would be acceptable to the parties in interest to have the informal appraisement treated as confidential. . . ."