SL2/1/1906/17

Letter Regarding Copy of Cabinet

21 April 1906

From: 1906 To: 1906

From Thomas B. Blow No 13 (unclear) Shimo Kyoku Kyoto Japan Kyoto, April 21 1906. Dear Colonel Shuttleworth, In reply of yours of 20 April cancelling the purchase of the Cabinet I would like to say that at time of selling it I had no idea of having it reproduced and it was only when a Lacquerer who some times does work for me came in and being told that the Cabinet was sold said that if I gave him a year and his price he would try to reproduce it. It did not enter into my mind that you possessing the original would object to a copy being made. I told the man that if his price was not too high he might make one and there the matter stands at present. I did not attempt to conceal the affair for on Mr Wrey and Mr Richardson seeing and admiring the Cabinet I told them that the Lacquerer had said he could make one like it. ( I presume it was from either Mr Wrey or Mr Richardson that you heard it for I do not remember discussing it with anyone else). Now in fully thinking over the matter I feel that though there are no rights at all in the Cabinet more than in any other rare piece of furniture yet as you bought the Cabinet with the idea that it was unique (and I beleive it is) and that you did not image that I was going to reproduce it I therefore am under a moral obligation to you not to reproduce it and should you still desire to have it I will under take not to have it reproduced nor lend help to anyone else to do it. But I will far prefer that you do not take the Cabinet for the reason that many Japanese have seen it and admired it and it was photgraphed at time I bought it and therefore if by any chance it (or anything at all like it) should be reproduced and sold it would lay me open to the suspicion of having aided in the matter and this I would not like to happen, and though I much regret that you who would so much appreciate such a fine original work of art do not possess it yet to cancel the purchase seems the simplest way out of the difficulty which I regret has arisen through my want of thought. I leave it to you to decide and awaiting your reply Yours faithfully Thomas B Blow

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Shuttleworth, Frank,
Blow, Thomas B.

Japan, Kyoto, furniture