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13th February 1951
Dear M.Plenderleith,
Perhaps you remember me, I came to see you one day with my friend Sir John Forsdyke, than director of the B.M., during the bombing period in 1940.
The bowl the director of Antiquities in Cyprus and myself entrust to your care has been found by me during excavations in the townside of Enkomi which might be the capital Alasia of the IInd millenium kingdom of the same name referred too in the Tel Amarna letters of the time of Amenophis IV.
As the two photographs show, the bowl was lying in a silverbowl sli ghtly bigger on a bench of chaulk in a funral chamber of an important tomb of the XIVth c.B.C.Near by were found some alabaster vases partyl absorbed by the underlying chaulk.
The bowl in bronze is covered by a delicate network of goldleaves forming a design of arcades and flowers. The atlier of the Nicosia Museum is not equipped for such delicate repair work and I proposed that the bowl may be submitted to you. The director of the Museum has informed Nicosia, that the B.M. is ready to take over the restauration of the bowl which is at present the property of the B.G. I am happy to know this find in your care and I am sure you will restaure its beauty.
If you have any information to give me later concerin, its state o preservation and technique I would be glad to publish them in the volume now in preparation of the Enkomi-Alasia excavations.
Please give the director M.Kendrick my very best wishes and thanks for the precious help of the B.M. in the matter.
Yours sincerely
[handwritten: handed on to Mr. Sprey of the Brit. Embassy, 13.II.51.]
65 figures hard to readstruck struck outadded written in above” jug ditto, and what it repeatsword reading not certain