Veranda.
Feby 22.
1847.
Dear Sir,
As the Living, to which I mentioned that I mt possibly be appointed, is a disputed possession, I do not think that I shall get it, and therefore write you a line on the subject of your Regent street establishment <1>.
On consideration I do not think that in my position I cd recieve [sic] any direct pay from you for what you propose nor shd I wish to involve myself in the responsibility which such an engagement wd effect, unused as I am to commercial affairs.
I am however very anxious to assist you in this matter and wd most willingly come to London for 6 months, and endeavour in some degree to fill your place, but for the expence which moving from our established home will cause.
This however must absolutely be done, and I must be continually on the spot to do any good, and even the overlooking such a concern as you justly observe wd be no sinecure.
I think however, that some plan mt be adopted, which mt enable me to do so; either by your granting me some advantages for the sale of my coloured copies at your establishment, which mt [illegible] to me, and if they were approved of, enable me to employ persons to colour under my directions; or you mt purchase coloured originals from me at a fixed price, and employ people to colour for you, but in either case it wd be necessary for me to instruct and direct them. I will therefore leave it to you to propose some plan of the kind.
As I before said, my acquaintance with some of the first Painters wd be a great point, and also I think that I cd get admirable groups, on top of the house; I cd also continually find excellent subjects up and down the River, and in the Docks &c.
I wd also go continually to the House and see how Henneman <2> and his assistants were going on, and give them every suggestion and assistance in my power; but I cd not undertake the collecting of debts, nor appear in any ostensible and responsible form in the house.
All the above I wd gladly do at my own expence, but cannot at present afford it, but I think that between the coloured copies, and negatives a way may be devised in which I could be repaid.
I have sent a list, with observations that I cd improve extremely: I cannot but think that you take a wrong view in objecting to faulty skies and other such blemishes being touched out; such accidents always arise from the paper, or chemicals or an object that has moved; and are not in any degree attributable to the art itself.
Even on positive copies, I can by 5 minutes work by invisible touches effect a marvellous improvement for the public eye.
I have a good number of coloured copies now, which I trust you will admire; Sir H De la Beche <3> who is a friend of mine was lately much pleased with them, and wished much to shew some of the[m] to Sir R. Peel <4>, and other influential admirers [of] the arts.
In your Portrait department I think you shd have a person to touch with colour those persons who wish it; I shd be happy to instruct him as far as I can: it wd I think add greatly to the popular acceptation and approbation of the process, and this is the main point which must be attended to, unworthy though it is.
Yours very truly
Calvert R Jones.
Notes:
1. 122 Regent Street, London: base of Nicolaas Hennemans’ Talbotype or Sun Picture Rooms, later the firm of Henneman & Malone, photographers to the Queen.
2. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.
3. Sir Henry Thomas de la Beche (1796–1855), geologist and photographer. [See Doc. No: 04741].
4. Sir Robert Peel (1788–1850), Prime Minister.