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Document number: 8359
Date: 04 Apr 1861
Recipient: HOGARTH Joseph
Author: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Collection: National Science and Media Museum, Bradford
Collection number: 1937-5409
Last updated: 11th December 2009

[draft:]

Hogarth

April 3 4/61 4th Apr

No 2) The small portt which you sent me the other day, was observd by me to be printed on such coarse paper that it cd not be transferred by photogrc means without being previously waxed to make it transpart. But this bg done it was found that it had become so faint as to be hardly visible, when held up agst the light. Such is not the class of objects whch can be successfully engraved. But if you wish for an engravg of this particular portt I shall be happy to execute it for you if you will adopt the folling plan – Ask a photographer to make a positive copy of it on a glass plate, strongly developed and send it to me. then that I have no doubt that it wd be easily engraved – I think that Mr Claudet of 107 R St would be so obliging If he cannot do it on glass or let him do it on very pure and good paper, printing strongly, & let him send 2 or 3 copies.

No 1) Mr Pretsch declines my invitn to copy a line engravg, on the ground that he is somewhat out of practice in that branch of the Art & tht he now confines his attentn exclusively to making blocks for printg along wth type. I conclude ∴ that his blocks are not sufficly delicate to imitate fine line engravings

last part) I have given full my best considn to yr last letter. It wd be impractble to measure the actual engravings themsves (often of irregular outline) only the size of the plates and blocks themsves themselves are is alone susceptible of measremt.

I ∴ propose the follg arrgemt. The royalty to be 3 pence pr sq inch. The full measure of the plates & blocks to be taken. But an abatement of one sixth part shall be made for the above mentd royalty as an allowance for margin.

This is the extent to whch I am prepared to go, to meet your views, I ∴ hope it may be satistyto you.

[expanded version:]

April 4, 1861

Hogarth

Mr Pretsch declines my invitation <1> to copy a line engraving, on the ground that he is somewhat out of practice in that branch of the Art and that he now confines his attention exclusively to making blocks for printing along with type. I conclude ∴ that his blocks are not sufficiently delicate to imitate fine line engravings

The small portrait which you sent me the other day, <2> was observed by me to be printed on such coarse paper that it could not be transferred by photographic means without being previously waxed to make it transparent. But this being done it was found that it had become so faint as to be hardly visible, when held up against the light. Such is not the class of objects which can be successfully engraved. But if you wish for an engraving of this particular portrait I shall be happy to execute it for you if you will adopt the following plan. Ask a photographer to make a positive copy of it on a glass plate, strongly developed and send it to me then that I have no doubt that it would be easily engraved. I think that Mr Claudet <3> of 107 Regent Street would be so obliging If he cannot do it on glass let him do it on very pure and good paper, printing strongly, and let him send 2 or 3 copies.

I have given full my best consideration to your last letter. <4> It would be impracticable to measure the actual engravings themselves (often of irregular outline) only the size of the plates and blocks themselves themselves is alone susceptible of measurement.

I therefore propose the following arrangement. The royalty to be 3 pence per square inch. The full measure of the plates and blocks to be taken. But an abatement of one sixth part shall be made for the above mentioned royalty as an allowance for margin.

This is the extent to which I am prepared to go, to meet your views, I therefore hope it may be satisfactory to you.


Notes:

1. Paul Pretsch (1808–1873), Austrian photographer & inventor; founder of the Photogalvanographic Company. For his comments on this, see Doc. No: 08363.

2. Portrait not located.

3. Antoine Françoise Jean Claudet (1797–1867), London; French-born scientist, merchant & photographer, resident in London.

4. Doc. No: 08356, to which this is the reply.

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