1878.04.03 English

C O P E N H A G E N  APRIL 3 1879

 

 

DEAR MR SKRAM[1]

 

 

  I WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED TO BUY YOUR XEROGRAPH  HAD I NEEDED IT, OR IF I HAD BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE; HOWEVER, SINCE I ALREADY POSSESS SUCH A MACHINE SUITABLE FOR MY NEEDS, AND SINCE MY PECUNIARY RESOURCES ARE FAR FROM BEING IN A SATISFACTORY STATE, UNFORTUNATELY I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO ACCEPT YOUR OFFER.  HOWEVER, SINCE THERE IS A NEED FOR A GOOD GLAZING MACHINE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, I TAKE IT THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET RID OF IT EASILY AND ON FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS.

 

 

                        YOURS FAITHFULLY

 

 

                        R. MALLING HANSEN

 

 

[1] (JMC): In the original letter RMH adds Skram’s title “stenographer” to the name.
(SA): According to the Royal Library this letter is addressed to Erik Skram. Around this time there was a writer in Denmark by the name of Erik Skram (1847-1923), and he worked as a stenographer and editor of the records of parliamentary debates from 1872 until 1918. In all probability this letter is addressed to him. Apart from being a writer, Skram was also a very well known cultural celebrity, and he married the Norwegian writer Amalie Skram, née Müller. Incidentally, it seems to me that Malling-Hansen in his letter uses the term “Xerograph” as synonymous with “glazing machine”. That seems to indicate that Malling-Hansen was aware that Mr Skram knew the concept of “Xerography”. Perhaps he had copied documents, using Malling-Hansen’s method?

Erik Skram, 1847-1923, Danish Author. Photo: The Royal Library
Amalie Skram, 1846-1905, Norwegian author