SCHLOSS RANTZENBURG

MUNICH, GERMANY

DECEMBER 10, 1932

Mr. Max Eisenstein Schulse-Eisenstein Galleries San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

MAX,

DEAR OLD FELLOW :

The check and accounts came through promptly, for which my thanks. You need not send me such details of the business. You know how I am in accord with your methods, and here at Munich I am in a rush of new activities. We are established, but what a turmoil! The house, as you know, I had long in mind. And I got it at an amazing bargain. Thirty rooms and about ten acres of park, you would never believe it. But then, you could not appreciate how poor is now this sad land of mine. The servants’ quarters, stables and outbuildings are most extensive, and would you believe it, we employ now ten servants for the same wages of our two in the San Francisco home.

The tapestries and pieces we shipped make a rich show, and some other fine furnishings I have been able to secure, so that we are much admired, I was almost to say envied. Four full services in the finest china I have bought and much crystal, as well as a full service of silver for which Elsa is in ecstasies.

And for Elsa — such a joke! You will, I know, laugh with me. I have purchased for her a huge bed. Such a size as never was before, twice the bigness of a double bed, and with great posters in carved wood. The sheets I must have made to order, for there are no sheets made that could fit it. And they are of linen, the finest linen sheets. Elsa laughs and laughs, and her old Grossmutter stands shaking her head and grumbles, “Nein, Martin, nein. You have made it so and now you must take care or she will grow to match it.”

“Ja,” says Elsa, “five more boys and I will fit it just nice and snug.” And she will, Max.

For the boys there are three ponies (little Karl and Wolfgang are not big enough to ride yet) and a tutor. Their German is very bad, being too much mixed with English.