July 20, 1988
Dear
Mr Plant,
The
books arrived here in a very good condition and I thank you very much sending
these to me. You did a good job in compiling, editing and publishing the
articles of the late Mr Compton. I enjoy reading all those articles in the
book.
That
article of Mr Marshall (Oct 21, 1922) also is very special. His critical notes
on the poultry plates of Ludlow are totally right, but Ludlow changes in the
external of the fowl, you know this by comparing early work of Ludlow and
later work of Ludlow. As so many poultry artist, Ludlow made his plates just
as the instructions of the writer of the book. In his time of life the English
Game fowl grow higher and higher on the legs to the time the breed was split
up in the former type (Old English) and new type (Modern English) the letter
being not without Malay blood. Ludlow was not a game breeder and that drawing
of 1889 was not his best, but I feel the fault is more to blame his employer.
There is a book Lewis Wright’s Poultry by Dr J.Batty (1983), containing 80 color
plates of Ludlow. Half of these are from the first edition of Wright’s
famous book of poultry and the others are 25 years later. Comparing the plates
one can see differences in the breeds during a short time. Ludlow has his own
style in his plates, some parts overdone, too large combs, eyes or crests,
bodies angular, but he made the plates as wanted. Later artist made better
work; Sewell did a great job and later Schilling and Van Gink.
Thanks
to your book I found the color of my own Old English Game fowl. I have black
breasted brown reds. Here I enter these in the show under the name Goldnecks.
It is difficult to find the right name on rare colors. I gave you earlier
comments on your fine book on Chicken
bone recoveries.
I
do hope it is better with your eyes now, or you can find a reader for my
letter. Is there a chance to have a transplant now?
I
am very glad with your file of book.
It
happens that I have two babies-Cochin bantams (2) from imported eggs only two
weeks now but promising birds. By seeing the wings it must be a pair. They are
mottled. I never had them earlier. I never was breeding so late in the season,
but I have eggs in the incubator. In fact this is too much work for me.
Wishing you
the best, sincerely,