CHARLES CHEVALIER,
Fils & seul Successeur de
VINCENT CHEVALIER
INGÉNIEUR OPTICIEN,
PALAIS-ROYAL, N^o 163.
FABRIQUE
Cour des Fontaines, N^o 1, Bis,
A PARIS. ^<1>

I did not perceive until I commenced reading this letter, that it was for you. Henneman ^<2> has taken some good views at Oxford having spent the whole of last week there. There is nothing requiring special mention at present. The drafts of Chevalier I duly paid.
Very resp^ly
B. C. ^<3>

Je viens de recevoir l’aimable lettre que vous venez de m’écrire de Coblentz, ^<4> comme vous ne m’avez pas indiqué votre adresse, je suis forcé de vous écrire en Angleterre où déjà ma réponse à votre précédente lettre doit vous attendre.

Je pense que Mr Cowderoy aura acquitté deux traites au cinq et au vingt octobre pour solde de compte car il a été prévenu longtemps d’avance. Lorsque vous m’avez écrit j’ai suspendu tous les travaux commencés pour vous et je suis en espérant de nouveaux ordres de votre part, mais si vous voulez ne pas trop attendre il faudra vous y prendre d’avance car il faut toujours un certain temps pour établir les instruments.

Une circonstance me force à publier très promptement une petite brochure sur la photographie, si vous aviez quelques renseignements à donner aux amateurs sur votre nouveau procedé je serais très honoré de les joindre à mon travail. A Paris on admire vos épreuves et les artistes seraient bien heureux de posséder votre secret qui leur rendrait bien des services dans leurs voyages.

Esperant vous voir bientot à Paris, je suis,
Monsieur,
Votre très respectueux et tout devoué serviteur

Charles Chevalier

Paris
le 23 8bre. 1846

P.S. Je pense que vous êtes satisfait des objectifs et appareils que j’ai eu l’honneur de vous fournir, si vous aviez la bonté de m’en dire quelques mots je m’empresserais de faire connaître ce temoignage de votre part et je vous en serai très reconnaissant.

Monsieur
Monsieur Cowderoy
(Pr remettre à M^r Talbot)
Patent Talbotype establishment ^<5>
à Reading
Angleterre

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Translation:

CHARLES CHEVALIERSon and sole Successor of
VINCENT CHEVALIER
OPTICAL ENGINEER
N^o 163, PALAIS-ROYAL
FACTORY
Cour des Fontaines, N^o 1a,
PARIS

I did not perceive until I commenced reading this letter, that it was for you. Henneman has taken some good views at Oxford having spent the whole of last week there. There is nothing requiring special mention at present. The drafts of Chevalier I duly paid.
Very resp^ly
B. C.

I have just received the kind letter that you have just written to me from Koblentz, as you did not give me your address, I am obliged to write to you in England where already my reply to your preceding letter must await you.

I think that Mr Cowderoy will have paid two bills on the fifth and the twentieth of October in settlement for he was advised well in advance. When you wrote to me I suspended all work commenced for you and I am awaiting new orders on your part, but if you do not wish to wait too long you should set about this early for it always takes a certain time to set up the instruments.

I am forced by circumstances to publish very swiftly a little brochure on photography, if you had some information about your new process to give to amateurs I would be very honoured to add it to my work. Your proofs are admired in Paris and the artists would be delighted to know your secret which would be of great service to them on their travels.

Hoping to see you soon in Paris, I am, Sir, Your very respectful and most devoted servant
Charles Chevalier

Paris
23 October 1846

P.S. I believe that you are satisfied with the articles and instruments that I had the honour of supplying you with, if you were so kind as to say a few words about them to me, I would be quick to make your statement known and I would be very grateful to you for it.

Mr Cowderoy
(To pass on to Mr Talbot)
Patent Talbotype establishment
In Reading
England

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Notes:

1. Medals and prizes printed on letterhead not transcribed.

2. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.

3. This section in English is a note from Benjamin Cowderoy (1812–1904), land agent in Reading; business manager for WHFT; later a politician in Australia, written on the original letter from Chevalier to WHFT.

4. Letter not located.

5. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), born in Holland and trained in Paris, was WHFT’s valet who emerged as his assistant in photography. Henneman set up his Calotype works at 8 Russell Terrace, Reading. Commencing operations at the start of 1844, it functioned both as a photographic studio and as a photographic printing works and continued through late 1846, at which time Henneman transferred his operations to London. Although Talbot supported Henneman through custom, such as printing the plates for The Pencil of Nature, and loans, it was always Henneman's operation. His business cards made no mention of "The Reading Establishment," the designation that it is popularly given today; the only contemporary use of that title seemed to be by Cowderoy - see Doc. No: 05690.