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The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

[D9245AAM], Letter from Alfred Ord Tate to Samuel Insull, February 24th, 1892
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D9245AAM

Transcription

Mr. Insull
Properly these fees should be paid by the Doll Company who hold license under the patents. But they are in default on minimum guarantee for royalties and it would be money well invested for Mr. Edison to spend this small sum to maintain his position. If the Toy Co is restored the money can be subsequently obtained from them. If they lose their rights for all time, Mr. E. will want to do business direct which it is certainly worth a couple of hundred dollars to protect. He has considerable money in this doll gig and it would be penny wise & pound foolish to neglect these patents.
If Mr. E. refuses absolutely to pay the fees the Toy Co should be notified but it should be noted that suit notification might easily be constructed as an admission that they are not in default under their agreements which in the present state of affairs would I think be unfortunate. We may want to leave the Doll Co which would be easy to do now, and get the business in our own hands. We could easily see 25 or 50 dolls per day which [1 legible word] mean a business of about $1200 or $1500 per week and [1 legible word] help out the Phone Wks. in first rate shape. There’s money in the doll gig for the Factory and patents abroad count for more than they do here, and there patents ought to be protected by W.E and not by Doll CO.
Marginalia: TATE

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