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FILE — Box: B: 2, Folder: 41 Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001, B:BF 1938.08.22

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, c/o Dewey Riddle, Sunlight Valley, via Cody, Wyoming, August 22, 1938 Digital

Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, c/o Dewey Riddle, Sunlight Valley, via Cody, Wyoming, August 22, 1938
Letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, c/o Dewey Riddle, Sunlight Valley, via Cody, Wyoming, August 22, 1938

Scope and Contents

Copy of typescript letter from Beatrix Farrand to Mildred Bliss tells her the law suit about Farrand's grandmother's estate has been decided in her favor. "As you know, perhaps, Elisina felt this part of the estate [Edith Wharton's estate] should go to her and had asked and received three different legal opinons as to whether she might claim the whole of my granmother's trust and each legal advisor urged her to accept the compromise offered her on my behalf last autumn of a half and half division." The agreement was verbally agreed to, but not signed. Lewis Delafield feels this is overly generous to Elisina. She reports that Wharton's butler was not using Edith's funds as had been reported in previous letters. Arthur Sachs has resold the Pavillon [Edith Wharton's home] and sold all household items. Edith's secretary purchased some personal items from her library for Farrand. Sachs was also not interested in the gardens and they have been neglected. John W. Davis sent her the plan of the two new wings, but no photograph of the maquette or elevations.

Dates

  • Creation: August 22, 1938

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials chiefly in English with a few items in Greek, Latin, French, Italian, or Spanish.

Conditions Governing Access

An appointment is required for access to these papers. To request an appointment, fill out the online form: http://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/access-and-hours/schedule-an-appointment.

For research queries, contact the staff of Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives (library@doaks.org).

Extent

23 boxes (Approximately 2632 items including correspondence, expense reports, invoices, estimates, deposit records, book lists, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and plant lists.)

Repository Details

Part of the Dumbarton Oaks Repository

Dumbarton Oaks holds archival collections in its Rare Book Collection, Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, and the Dumbarton Oaks Archives. The collections include: the papers of noteworthy scholars in the three fields that Dumbarton Oaks supports (Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape); image collections depicting objects or sites of topical interest to scholars in the three fields; Beatrix Farrand’s personal archive of letters and original drawings that document the development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden; and institutional records and architectural plans and drawings documenting the history of Dumbarton Oaks. For more information about hours and to make an appointment to consult any of the collections listed here, please fill out the request form: https://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/schedule-an-appointment

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