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Document number: 06517
Date: 17 Nov 1851
Recipient: GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851 Exhibition Committee
Author: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA51-83
Last updated: 21st February 2012

[author's draft:]

Exve Ctee
Novr 17 / 51

Understg yt y. wish to have the photc copies for yr gt wk executed in the South of Europe on acct of the greater purity of ye light there especially in winter, I beg to state that I am willing to consent to that the to this [illegible] to a sufft No of plates the copies being so made and imported by you into this country free of any royalty to myself or to my licensees as will in number suffict to complete 135 sets of the work, ([illegible] of which you have informed me will contain 170 photogrc plates or thereabouts) on condition of receiving from you at the time when you distribute the other sets or copies of the work 15 /sets or copies of ye same, similarly bound and in all respects equally good wth the other copies (A) As you have informed me /however that th only 2 volumes of yt your work will contain any photc plates, [illegible deletion] I beg to state that my [illegible] lettr has refnce I [space left blank] to these volumes alone / only.

A [with long bracket round following sentence:] I shd not think of selling any of these copies but shd give ym all away [illegible deletion] as you intend doing with the remainder

I assume that when you have finished & distributed the work, you will permit allow Mr Hennn the use of the negves to print copies therefrom for sale to the public. [illegible deletion] according to promise, and that afterwds the plates will find a permanent place of security in [illegible deletion]

[inserted in margin: And] It may not be irrelevant here to mention to you that altho’ you have paid, as I understand to Mr Henn £600 for the negatives, yet I know that his expenses on the same /have amounted to £500, so that he has received no reasonable remuneratn for his trouble –

Intending I must ∴ undertake myself to make to him at least some partial what I consider a suitable present as a partial compensation for his disappointment I only mention the subject here to request you to keep it in remembrance in the event of any future transactns, that [illegible] he has

An early reply to his demand but little an advantage for his present labours.

I only mention the circstce because you appear I content myself wth merely mentg ye circstce I hve merely mentd ye above circstce for your information, that you may be aware how little profit he has he has received loss of the time and trouble, wch he has spent in this affair and the trouble he has taken respecting it

Requestg ye favor of an early reply
I remain Yrs tr


[expanded version:]

Executive Committee
November 17, 1851

Understanding that you wish to have the photographic copies for your great work executed in the South of Europe on account of the greater purity of the light there especially in winter, I beg to state that I am willing to consent to that the to this [illegible] to a sufficient number of plates the copies being so made and imported by you into this country free of any royalty to myself or to my licensees as will in number sufficient to complete 135 sets of the work, ([illegible] of which you have informed me will contain 170 photographic plates or thereabouts) on condition of receiving from you at the time when you distribute the other sets or copies of the work 15 copies of the same, similarly bound and in all respects equally good with the other copies (I should not think of selling any of these copies but should give them all away [illegible deletion] as you intend doing with the remainder) As you have informed me that the only 2 volumes of that your work will contain any photographic plates, [illegible deletion] I beg to state that my [illegible] letter has reference I to these volumes alone only.

I assume that when you have finished & distributed the work, you will permit allow Mr Henneman the use of the negatives to print copies therefrom for sale to the public. [illegible deletion] according to promise, and that afterwards the plates will find a permanent place of security in [illegible deletion]

And it may not be irrelevant here to mention to you that although you have paid, as I understand to Mr Henneman £600 for the negatives, yet I know that his expenses on the same amounted to £500, so that he has received no reasonable remuneration for his trouble –

Intending I must therefore undertake myself to make to him at least some partial what I consider a suitable present as a partial compensation for his disappointment I only mention the subject here to request you to keep it in remembrance in the event of any future transactions, that [illegible] he has

An early reply to his demand but little an advantage for his present labours.

I only mention the circumstances because you appear I content myself with merely mentioning the circumstances I have merely mentioned the above circumstances for your information, that you may be aware how little profit he has he has received loss of the time and trouble, which he has spent in this affair and the trouble he has taken respecting it

Requesting the favor of an early reply
I remain Yrs truly