Crookes.
Aug. 23 / 58
Dr Sir)
When I sd yt I shd be happy t. give y. 1 of my engrd plates, I am certn yt certnly did not mean to say yt I cd do so immy - I am sorry That There shd be any mistke but it cannot hve arisen fm any expressns contd in my letter as y will see if will read it agn
The specn of my patt is only due on the 20th oct. altho' I intend to enroll it sooner, in fact as soon as I have taken out French & Belgn patts. I have reason to fear that any publicatn of a plate, even tho' unaccompd by any descriptn of the process employed, previous to the grant of the French & Belgn pats wd render those pats invalid.
I will take this oppy of observg that the subjts I have recently bn engraving are chiefly French photographs and I am not certn that the photographer (whose name & address I am at prest unacqud with) might not consider the publicatn of these plates an invasn of his copyright. I am not aware whether a French copyright extends to England, nevertheless I have thought it best to mention the subject to you that your publishers may make the necessay enquiries if they have any doubt upon the subject. Are Messrs Petter & Galpin Copperplate printers as well as ordy printers?
PS./ Thanks for the Uranium picts - wch are vy interestg
[expanded version:]
Crookes.August 23, 1858
Dear Sir,
When I said I should be happy to give you one of my engraved plates, I am certain that certainly did not mean to say that I could do so immediately - I am sorry That there should be any mistake but it cannot have arisen from any expressions contained in my letter as you will see if will read it again.
The specification of my patent is only due on the twentieth of October, although I intend to enroll it sooner, in fact as soon as I have taken out French and Belgian patents. I have reason to fear that any publication of a plate, even though unaccompanied by any description of the process employed, previous to the grant of the French and Belgian patents would render those patents invalid.
I will take this opportunity of observing that the subjects I have recently been engraving are chiefly French photographs and I am not certain that the photographer (whose name and address I am at present unaquainted with) might not consider the publication of these plates an invasion of his copyright. I am not aware whether a French copyright extends to England, nevertheless I have thought it best to mention the subject to you that your publishers may make the necessay enquiries if they have any doubt upon the subject. Are Messrs Petter & Galpin Copperplate printers as well as ordinary printers?
PS./ Thanks for the Uranium pictures - which are very interesting <1>
Notes:
1. These are preserved in the Talbot Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford, 1937-3792.