Letter from Plenderleith to Schaeffer proposing a second gold sheet, now lost, inside the bowlHarold James Plenderleith

Printed: THE BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON, W.C.1

Printed: Department of Research Laboratory

Printed: 2nd April, 1952

Printed: TELEPHONE: Museum 3431

Dear Dr. Schaeffer,

The results have not yet arrived but when they do you shall have them back by return. Also, Mr. Bell, our photographic assistant, is busy with film and I fear that the extra prints you require may not reach you for a day or two.

The Illustrated London News photographer is beginning work here next Monday.

I think you will like to know that we now consider it very likely that the cup may at one time have had a gold lining for two reasons - (1) that the edge of the vessel has an unfinished appearance - the gold lining may at one time have concealed it, and (2) that the silver rivet heads inside the cup have never been firmly oxidised down on the cup. Mr. Plenderleith, Mr. Barton, has measured the space between the internal rivet heads and it is of the order,mm or less, of 1 thousandths of an inch. This would leave small room for a gold lining. He reasons that these rivets, sometimes the gold lining and this preserved the head of the rivets from being oxidised against the inner surface of the cup.

With best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Handwritten: signature

Printed: H. J. Plenderleith

Printed: Enc.

[printed: Dr. C.F.A. Schaeffer, 14 Rue Thiers, St. Germain-en-Laye, Seine-et-Oise, France.]

Handwritten: annotation: D