2006-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/31/2006
RICHMOND, October13, 1857, 3pp. folio letter written by photographer David Bendar, with the first page written in English and the second and third pages composes in some sort of unreadable script, which appears to be a form of mirror writing. In the Beginning John writes to fellow photographer “Dan”, in part:”…Have you got to work yet? Your contract with Hawkes is drawn up in quite a Cavalier like style …Things are very dull here…by want of specie…Some genius seeing by way of easing the market and Uncle Sam broke open the custom’s house and took $20, 600 in gold last night and parted leaving as much behind and part scattered about the floor,,, There are more galleries to be opened here. Minnis and 2 25 cent ones. Was introduced to Minnis the other day and went to see his place…Tibley, Saxony, and Osborne are discussing the propriety of make[ing] 12 ½ cent pictures…What are solar Cameras good for ? Can you make plain photo with them? They say that Minnis is making very poor photos. I am making very fine ones and ambrotypes. Don’t salt your paper more than two grains to the ounce and they will print better. The remaining two pages are filled with an indecipherable script that resembles the writing style used in the Middle East or Asia, but it seems doubtful at this point in history that the two men are fluent in Arabic or some variant of Sanskrit. Perhaps one of our bidders will know how to read this odd script, and then we may have more of a letter than we bargained for very good.
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