First my willing service to you, dear Sir. I wonder why you
do not write to me to say how you like the sapphire ring
which Hans Imhof has sent you by the messenger Schon from
Augsburg. I do not know whether it has reached you or not. I
have been to Hans Imhof and enquired, and he says that he
knows no reason why it should not have reached you, and
there is a letter with it which I wrote to you, and the
stone is done up in a sealed packet and has the same size as
is drawn here, for 1 drew it in my note-book. I managed to
get it only after hard bargaining. The stone is clear and
fine, and my friends say it is very good for the money I
gave for it. It weighs about 3 florins Rhenish, and I gave
for it 18 ducats and 4 marzelle, and if it should be lost I
should be half mad, for it has been valued at quite twice
what I gave for it. There were people who would have given
me more for it the moment I had bought it. So, dear Herr
Pirkheimer, tell Hans Imhof to enquire of the messenger what
he has done with the letter and packet. The messenger was
sent off by Hans Imhof the younger on the 11th March.
Now may God keep you, and let me commend my mother to you.
Tell her to take my brother to Wolgemut that he may work and
not be idle.
Ever your servant.
Read by the sense. I am in a hurry, for I have seven letters
to write, part written. I am sorry for Herr Lorenz. Greet
him and Stephen Paumgartner.
Given at Venice in the year 1506, on St. Mark's Day.
Write me an answer soon, for I shall have no rest till I
hear. Andreas Kunhofer is deadly ill as I have just heard.
--Albrecht Dürer