Art: Something for Bess

Charles Kohen, proprietor of an art and curio shop in Washington, shooed off ordinary customers one day last week. "The place is full of Secret Service men," he explained to one chance telephone caller, the New York Times's Reporter Paul Kennedy. "I've got a very important visitor coming." Thirty minutes later, accompanied by more Secret Service men, the important visitor slipped in the door: the President of the U.S. was hunting a nice picture to give his wife for their home back in Independence, Mo.

What did Mr. Truman have in mind? asked Kohen, who once sold Philatelist Franklin Roosevelt choice items for his stamp collection. Harry Truman answered as many another husband might in a rare fling at picture buying; he had no very strong views about painters or styles. What he did know was that he wanted something about two feet high and three feet wide. Said the President: "I know exactly the place where I want to hang it."

Kohen showed him to an upstairs stockroom filled with paintings, told him to take his pick. "You've got too damn many pictures here," said the President ruefully as he started looking them over.

One that quickly caught his eye was a Dutch tavern scene showing men shooting dice. The President pulled up a chair to study the painting, and remarked that it would be a fine gift for soandso. (Afterward, Kohen loyally insisted that he could not remember the name the President used.)

Then, one of the Secret Service men showed the. President a picture of a bare-shouldered girl. Dealer Kohen broke in to say that he considered it a bit questionable in taste; as a matter of fact he had tucked it out of sight just in case Bess Truman might be in the shopping party. The President appreciated that. "I think more of you now than I ever did," he grinned, and moved on after one look.

Finally, 17 minutes and several dozen paintings later, Harry Truman set aside two pictures—a Turner landscape and a Dutch painting of a castle on a hill. He decided he liked the Dutch painting best and wanted to know who painted it.

"Don't ask me that, Mr. President," said Kohen, "because I don't know the name myself." Harry Truman guessed that after all it really didn't matter. He told a Secret Service man to carry it down to the car; it was just the right size.

The price was something Harry Truman and Charles Kohen kept to themselves.