Royall Tyler to Mildred Barnes Bliss, February 5, 1929

Ministry of Finance,
Budapest.
5.II.29Saturday.

Dearest Mildred, the Peruvian bottleThis object apparently is no longer in the Robert Woods Bliss Collection of Pre-Columbian Art at Dumbarton Oaks. Its identity is not known. is yours. Brummer Erno (Ernest) bought it for about 1600 francs. Pretty cheap. I hear from Elisina that Mallon has a lot of Byzantine potterySee also letters of February 9, 1929; February 12, 1929 [1]; February 16, 1929; February 28, 1929 [2]; March 11, 1929; March 27, 1929; and December 26, 1929. which he thinks you ought to have, and that he asks £3,500. for it. He is sending me the photos, and I will of course let you know what I think—but £3,500 seems a lot of money for any Byz. pottery I’ve ever seen. Mallon has just married his partner, or secretary—the lady who used to be there, rather pretty.Margot Mallon (d. 1977), he wife and partner of the Parisian art dealer Paul Mallon (1884–1975).

There’s been another big find of Barbarian (Goth) gold objects here, and the stuff is expected to reach the museum in a day or two, where it will only stay for a short time before returning to the Provincial Mus. at Pecs, to which it belongs.It is unclear to what gold find Royall Tyler is referring. Akos Szendrey reported a Gothic find from the second quarter of the sixth century at Miszla in Archaeologiai Értesitö 42 (1928): 222–25. Lajos Kiss reported a migration period gold find from Nyíregyháza in ibid., 228–31.

Life is too short—I’m immersed in the Byz. VIIIth and IXth centuries, and in no mood to be interrupted by financial questions. If I could only have a few months clear. On the other hand, I get, as it is, an intenser quality of pleasure out of my Byz. pursuits than I would if I were able to give all my time to them, so I’d be foolish to complain.

Much love
R. T.