Letter from Roger Brioult to Michel Magès regarding publication authorisation (2000)

In this document

This handwritten letter, written from Résenlien in Gacé, is addressed by Roger Brioult to Michel Magès, residing at "17 Les Cèdres, 69380 Chasselay". It is dated "10 October 2000" and signed by Brioult's hand p. 1.

The subject of the letter

Brioult indicates that "the management of La Vie de l'Auto (Edifree)" has been consulted "regarding your request to reproduce pages from my books", and that they ask Michel Magès to "contact them directly" p. 1.

He specifies that he is forwarding Michel Magès's request letter to that management "this day" p. 1.

Roger Brioult's personal position

Brioult expresses his wish that "this agreement be reached without any problem" and says he is counting on "the open-mindedness of Mr A. Georges (CEO of La Vie de l'Auto and a very old acquaintance)" so that Michel Magès may obtain "satisfaction without complications" p. 1.

The page also features a handwritten pencil frame around the name and address of "Alain GEORGES - La Vie de l'Auto", visibly highlighted by the recipient or a later reader.

Context

La Vie de l'Auto is a French magazine specialising in automotive history, published by Edifree editions. Roger Brioult is the author of works dedicated to the history of the Citroën design office, in which he notably discusses Paul Magès's work on hydropneumatic suspension.

Michel Magès, son of Paul Magès, sought to obtain authorisation to reproduce, on the family archives dedicated to his father, passages from these works concerning his engineering work — hence this request for rights.

Archivist's perspective

This short handwritten note documents a modest but significant administrative step in the constitution of the Magès archives: it shows that Michel Magès was seeking, as early as 2000, to legally secure the dissemination of third-party testimonies regarding his father's work.

Brioult's personal tone — he mentions a "very old acquaintance" with the CEO of Edifree — suggests benevolent support for the process. This letter seems to constitute a first step, prior to the agreement finally obtained, as evidenced by the subsequent correspondence from LVA Editions to Michel Magès regarding the rights to Roger Brioult's book, dated 2013 — probable proof that the process, initiated as early as 2000, required several follow-ups before succeeding.