[printed letterhead]
La Belle Sauvage Yard,
Ludgate Hill, E.C.
London,
20 Mornington Road
N.W.
Novr 2 1858.
Dear Sir
Since the announcement in the Photo. News that a Photoglyph would be presented <1> with No. 10 the orders for copies have been coming in so numerously that Mr Brooker <2> & Messrs Petter & Galpin <3> are afraid that one steel plate will not print off the requisite number of copies without them being such inferiour [sic] copies that you would not like them to be circulated as specimens of the process. Besides which Mr Brooker fears that there will not be time to get the requisite number of impressions off in time supposing the plate to last. Under these circumstances Will you favour us with a few extra steel plates so that proper time may be taken over the printing and none but very good proofs circulated. I believe Mr Brooker will write to you by this post with particulars as he has just had an interview with Mr Petter – but I have thought it best to write to beg you will give the matter your early attention as the thing is really important to the “News” as after the promises which have been made of its great beauty circulating an inferiour print would be of serious injury. Mr Brooker has some steel plates but I understand those which you have are better ones and I am really anxious to have this print be the best which can be had
Believe me very truly yours
William Crookes.
H. F. Talbot Esqre
Notes:
1. WHFT produced photoglyphic engraving prints to accompany George Lumley's articles on the subject, and included ‘Bridge over the Moldau, Prague’; ‘Palace of the Duc de Montpensier, Seville’; ‘The New Louvre, Paris’; ‘The Gate of the Cathedral of San Gregorio, Valladolid’; and ‘The Institute of France’. See ‘Description of Mr Fox Talbot’s New Process of Photoglyphic Engraving’, Photographic News, v. 1 no. 7, 22 October 1858, pp. 73–75; and v. 1 no. 10, 12 November 1858, pp. 114–115.
2. Thomas Brooker, engraver & printer, London.
3. Petter & Galpin Co, London printers; George William Petter (1823-1888) and Thomas Dixon Galpin (1828-1910).