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Dear Mr. Taylor,
How I wish I could give you the information you seek about the tiles made at Cathedral Oaks by George Dennison and Frank Ingerson; alas, I cannot tell you when these tiles were made or for what projects. As to recognizing the tiles from the black and white photocopies which you enclosed, this is very difficult for me to do as you can well understand.
In regard to the Bliss Estate, I always understood that Dennie and Ingie did indeed design the interior of this house as well as the gardens and that they were similarly involved with the Samarkand Hotel, a very prestigious institution during the early days of the my growing up in California.
When I knew George and Frank they were not only celebrated for their creation of the Ark of the Covenant, commission by Mrs. Marcus Koshland of San Francisco, but for the quite remarkable table ornaments which they fashioned for various hostesses. Mrs. Clarice Hale Kennedy, the daughter of Oliver A. Hale, who married Hugh Studdert Kennedy and lived at La Miranda in Saratoga, commissioned one of these fascinating compositions. During my adolescent years I saw yet another such garniture of equal beauty. One of these arrangements was composed of waterlillies made, I believe of copper, overlayed with gold and enamel and set upon a golden mirror places in the center of a dining table. Another was a similar enamelled rendition of the cacti called "hens and chickens", and was set, I think, among quartzes of pale pink and mauve. Enamels were indeed their preoccupation at that time.
Their "international reknown" may really mean that they had interesting friends all over the world who loved them and who were interested in their work, and highly values their creations.
With my regret that I have not been able to speak more knowledgeably about the tiles, together with my every good wish to you in the research you are doing for the exhibition of California Arts and Crafts which will soon take place.
Most sincerely,
Olivia de Havilland