The Newtown bee., 1909-10-15
The NeWtOWn Bee. Newtown, Friday, October 15, 1909.
New Milford.
T. J. BLAKESLEY IN DISPUTE WITH
 GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.


 Paintings valued at more than $1,OoO,' 900 and more than 20 years old have beer held up recently for payment Of duties
 by Fifth Avenue, art dealers, despite tne tnt tariff act providing for the free entry
 of works of art, in existence more than 20 years prior to the date of importation
 New Milford and New Preston people
 will be deeply interested in what T. J.
 }lakesley, the well known Fifth Avenue
 art dealer, and summer resident al
 Lake Waramaug, has to say on the mat ter. In the Tribune he is quoted as fol-
 ows: The intention of the law was to admit paintings of over 20 years of age
 into the country free of any tariff or tax
 of any kind. But in drawing the various affidavits which are necessary the law has been practically made imperative. as it stands at the present moment. The government demands not only the name of the arllst and the subject, but the place where the picture was painted, the date of production, and the month even' which is simply ridiculous It is lm- possible to give the month, and ln many cases even the year, when Sir Joshua Reynolds, for instance, painted his pct ures. The difficulty of ascertaining even the year in which picture was printed especially an ancient picture, is almost insurmountable We are fortunate, in deed, if we know within 25 years when many of the important pictures were painted. Many valuable pictures have not been brought to New York lately, owing to the fact that the ruling of the Treasury Department seems to make the tariff imperative because of this date requirement.. One IS fortunate in most cases if he can come within 20 years or the date eof the execution of a picture painted from 150 to 300 years ago. In doubtedly there will be ruling of the Treasury Department that will make possible the admission of all works of art that are unquestionably more than 20 years old, but for the moment it is impossible for the dealer to get his i'm ported paintings except by paying the old duty, which he does, under protest. Art dealers generally are paying from 15 to 20 per cent duty to release their pictures quickly, hoping later to procure from each seller an affidavit, with con vincing proof, that the picture sold was fore, than 20 years old l have several hundred thousand dollars worth of now in the Custom House, or which will arrive there in a few days. which are affected, of course, by this action of the Treasury Department l understand that the Scott Fowles O., of Fifth Avenue, has imported paintings valued at s500,000 which are affected by this ruling Of the treasury department A novel feature also is that never before have official papers with reference to the importation of paintings been sent to Washington for final judgement. My brokers, Hensel. Bruckman & Lorbacher, inform me that in their judgment the duty I have been paying will be re- funded by the government afteer the of the great mass of evil dence required. Meanwhile, however. art dealers are paying duty the same as before the tariff was revised. Among the pictures imported by Mir Blakesley which are coming to this country or have recently arrived and on which duty has been paid are a Rubens. Diana and Her Nymphs from Lord Ashburton,s collection, valued at slo0,ooo;, Gains traits by Copley, .Hoppner, Holbein and Sir Joshua Reynolds.
 NJ. ". Hill, the genial Bank street