Birmingham
17 Weaman Street
20 March 1843
Sir
In explanation of my letter of the 15th I beg to be considered in treaty for the exclusive right of practising your process <1> in Birmingham and of course wish to carry it out as effectually as possible – this can only be done by devoting a few hours every day to the subject and giving it the utmost publicity – as to the number of portraits likely to be taken I cannot even form an idea but I do not think that Birmm holds out so much inducement as some other towns – however in the event of an agreement between us of course each party should have the option of relinquishing under certain conditions should the affair not answer his expectation – I have never tried your plan but have perused your specification and have seen the process at the Polytechnic Institution London but should we agree as to terms &c I should prefer a personal interview with you as an authorized person as being the shortest and surest method of arriving at perfection in the manipulation – What I have now to request is that you will please to let me have the terms for an exclusive right for this town as a mere license [sic] to practise (as I presume that you have granted both) with what other particulars may seem desirable to you for my consideration – the price generally charged for the portraits &c &c – An agent of Mr Beard <2> is taking portraits here under his patent but with what success I cannot exactly tell – I think however not very great – Mr M. of Cannon St is a Brother mine [sic] a silversmith & plater and I think is still open for an arrangement for electro-plating – the patent of Mr Woolrich <3> is creating quite a sensation among us I shall be happy to hear from you soon as convenient and beg to subscribe myself
Yours very respectfully
J.P.Marrian
H F Talbot Esqr
Notes:
1. The calotype process.
2. Richard Beard (1801–1885), coal merchant & daguerreotypist, London.
3. John Stephen Woolrich, who took a patent for ‘Coating with metal the surface of articles formed of metal or metallic alloys’, U.K. number 9431, August 1842. [See Doc. No: 04616].