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Document number: 00533
Date: 21 Feb 1876
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: ABNEY William De Wiveleslie
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Last updated: 27th December 2010

St. Margaret’s,
Rochester.

21 Feb. 1876

Sir

I am requested by the Committee of the Scientific Loan exhibition <1> to be held at South Kensington in May next to ask you if you would kindly lend to them for exhibition specimens of your early work in Photography.<2> Knowing that you must have a valuable & unique collection of Talbotype photo-engravings and specimens of processes of which you are the master I have ventured to ask on their behalf your kind co-operation in the matter – The collection of specimens would be incomplete without your work and you would confer a public benefit if you would lend to the exhibition such works as you could conveniently spare.

Trusting that I may have a favourable reply to [illegible deletion] my request I am dear Sir

yours faithfully
W. de W. Abney
Capt R.E.

Notes:

1. The exhibition, Loan Collection of Scientific Apparatus at the South Kensington Museum, was conceived in 1875 and opened by Queen Victoria in 1876. The powerful Advisory Committee was composed of members such as Abney and they were charged with including items of historical interest as well as then-modern teaching and research tools.

2. See Doc. No: 00538.