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Document number: 5677
Date: 14 Jun 1846
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: JONES Calvert Richard
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA46-78
Last updated: 15th February 2012

Veranda.
June 14. 1846

My dear Sir,

I very much regret that I cannot accept the kind invitation to Lacock at present; as it is impossible for me to leave my poor Aunt,<1> being appointed Executor which is a very unpleasant business: I fear this nice place <2> must be sold, when she will probably go and live at Cheltenham, where we shall accompany her, as Col: Jones and herself always behaved as parents to us.

I mention this to shew that before long I may be much nearer your neighbourhood; when, if you are at home I shall be delighted to come and confer on the prospects of Photography, which now appear most discouraging.

The apathy of the British public about it is quite inexplicable, but I cannot help thinking, that your Agents in London cannot be very active or very proper ones.

I can well understand how with your great outlay you cannot afford to buy negatives, but will gladly accept your offer of some copies to sell, which also may have the effect of making the art known in new “locales”.

A Photographic Portrait establishment <3> wd undoubtedly answer admirably in London provided they cd be done quick [sic] enough, which at present I rather doubt; as the little groups I sent you all took 20 secds at Malta with the strongest solution.

I was much pleased with the copies you were so good as to send but most of them have the fault of not being done enough (an error which I think does not exist in my 2nd series) the apparent want of focus in many of them is caused by the shaking of the Camera in the almost incessant gale of wind which Malta winters produce.

There are but 14 large, and 22 small copies from about 90 negatives. I fear that many of the latter were not good enough to furnish any copies but those remaining that are at all decent I shd be extremely obliged if you wd tell Henneman <4> to send me, as (besides the natural anxiety I have to see them) they act as lessons in the art; since I remember the circumstances under which all were taken.

I trust one (which was my peculiar pride) made good copies, a view of Valetta from the lower Baracca.

Your enclosure of a Prospectus has just arrived, I think it is very well drawn up, and if well acted upon must I shd think answer.

Have you heard of Mr Bridges <5> lately? Your Cousin <6> wrote us word that he (Mr B) had made some Talbotype <7> improvements; when we left Malta, he was anxious for some more paper: which perhaps he has recieved [sic] before this.

I think it wd be well for me to send my Italian negs to Henneman that they may be fixed and (waxed) if necessary, and then have them sent to me that I may learn to make copies of them, as having done the originals I may perhaps in time, know better how much cooking the copies require.

If you will send me a few of those Prospectuses, I think I cd send them with advantage to Harding <8> and other persons

yours very truly
Calvert R. Jones.


Notes:

1. Jones’ uncle had recently died.

2. Veranda, home of the Jones family, in Swansea, Wales.

3. 122 Regent Street, London: base of Nicolaas Hennemans’ Talbotype or Sun Picture Rooms, later the firm of Henneman & Malone, photographers to the Queen. Jones and WHFT were discussing whether Jones should be involved in the establishment.

4. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.

5. Rev George Wilson Bridges (1788–1863), photographer & traveller.

6. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.

7. Although WHFT modestly used the term calotype, Jones and other loyal supporters honoured him by calling these Talbotypes, in parallel with the term Daguerreotype.

8. James Duffield Harding (1797–1863), painter, writer on art theory and teacher of among others John Ruskin and Jones himself.

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