4 Stanhope Place, Mornington Crescent, London. N. W.
Sep^r 14^th 1864

Dear Sir

Herewith I beg to forward the titles of the several Photographic Views from the Negatives by Archer, ^<1> which you commissioned me to obtain, and were forwarded to you some time ago, – The N^os refer to corresponding ones in pencil at the back of each photograph –

Should you be in this neighbourhood and would do me the honour to call, you may feel interested in seeing a proof or two, by “Dallas’ Photoelectric Engraving process, ^<2> which I have surface scraped &^c for him – as in most photographic engraving, its facsimilie [sic] capabilities are great. – but at present it requires the aid of an Engraver to clear the surface for printing. ^<3>

I am Dear Sir Yours respectfully
W. O. Geller

to H. F. Talbot Esq^re

N^o

3 West Door, Kenilworth Church

4 Gate House, Kenilworth Castle

31A Grand Entrance, – D^o D^o

9 Cæsars’ Tower, – D^o – D^o

7 Leicesters Buildings, Kenilworth

10 Great Hall, interior – D^o Castle

21 Window of Great Hall, ––

46 Door in Rochester Cathedral

51 Gallery, with Figure, Rochester Castle,

178 Chepstow Castle, Inner Court, –

231 Beddington Church, Surrey,

100 Popes Villa, Twickenham,

I think you will find the above list correct –

[line drawn across the page]

P. S. May I beg the favour of a P. O. Order for the amount of the views, viz 13^s/ –

(as I am endeavouring to settle all a/c) it may be made payable at Eversholt Street Camden Town London N. W.

---

Notes:

1. The wet collodion on glass negative process was given freely to the public in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer (1813-1857), a sculptor and photographer. He disclosed the operational details in an 18 February 1851 letter published in The Chemist, n.s. v. 2 no. 19, March 1851, pp. 257-258. His pivotal invention overshadowed his own photographs and they are rarely seen. One example is in Larry J Schaaf, Sun Pictures Catalogue 13: A Twentieth Anniversary Selection (New York: Hans P Kraus, Jr, Inc, 2004), plate 10.

2. The invention of Duncan Campbell Dallas, a 'photoelectric' process for making printing plates.

3. WHFT was specifically trying to avoid hand retouching in his Photographic Engraving and Photoglyphic Engraving processes. Dallas had also been the manager of the Photogalvanographic Company, who openly infringed on WHFT's patents.