On offer is rental receipt from France in the years immediately following the Napoleonic Wars. The receipt was issued to Nicholas Cherallu of the town of Malzeville, in the north-east of France. It details a payment of 60 francs for rents, possibly for land for vineyards. Our informal research has not been able to find any biographical information about him. The receipt is for a payment of 60 francs, approximately the equivalent of US$ 750 today. The average craftsman earned about 455 francs a year so this was a not insignificant amount, equalling about 68 days of wages. Recu de Monsieur Nicho... View More...
On offer is a truly remarkable piece of written history ? a form letter ordering the release of a prisoner from the Bastille. On the document is a blank space to enter a prisoner's name and his/her number. It bears two signatures: ?Louis?, Louis XVI, the King of France and ?Philippeaux?, Pierre Phillippeaux. The letter reads: je vous faire cet lettre pour vous dire mettre du liberte du nominal qui vous detener [ ] Ordre ___ dans mons chateau de la bastilleI...make you this letter to tell you to put the freedom of the person named which you detain [ ] Order ___ in my castle of the Bastille ?.. ... View More...
On offer is an autograph album circa 1830-1861, coinciding with the 29th through 34th United States Congresses, which ran from 1845 to 1857. The autographs contained within include 262 United States Senators and Congressmen. The majority of the autographs do not have accompanying dates, however one signer dated their entry 1843 and another dated their entry 1850. This album provides a quintessential glimpse into Antebellum Period US politics. It is clear to see, from the signatures and accompanying notation of the state from which each signer hails (some also note their home towns) , that the ... View More...
On offer is an order granting leave to a number of soldiers in the U. S Army in Europe immediately following the end of hostilities in WWII. The order was issued as a Company Order by the 519th Engineering Maintenance Company, United States Army. It is dated October 15th, 1945. The order grants a 7 day leave or furlough to 5 named individuals and includes restrictions on their movements. The order is signed by their commanding office, 2nd Lieutenant Melvin Becker. From our informal research, the 519th Engineering Maintenance Company was part of the 327th Infantry Regiment and assigned to the 1... View More...
On offer is an excellent example of the administrative process in the operations of the French national insurance and pension scheme of mid-19th century France. The handwritten letter was sent by the ADMINISTRATION DE LA PREVOYANCE to a ?Monsieur Boban, Notaire a Eperay (Marne) ?. In fact, this was Leon Boban, a Notary who practised in the city of Eperay, France. Our informal research has not revealed any additional information about him. At the time of this letter?s writing, the French Revolution had replaced the notions of mutual assistance and support that was a function of communities or a... View More...
On offer is a fascinating manuscript detailing a property transaction in 1861 France. The manuscript is a detailed contract describing the sale of a piece of property. It was drawn by a French Notary named Alexandre Morand in the town of Billy, France. In 12 pages, the document goes into great detail about the property, the parties to the contract, terms and conditions, etc. An excerpt from the manuscript follows: Est Comparu?Monsieur Pierre Brisson homme d'affairs demeurant a BillyRegistrant aux presentes...[Translation: Appearing before me Mr. Pierre Brisson, businessman living in Billy Regi... View More...
On offer is a fascinating daily diary kept by a lawyer who would go on to be elected to Florida?s House of Representatives and be appointed to the bench. The diary is large, measuring 12 inches by 7.5 inches. There are 365 pages plus memoranda and the volume is approximately 90% complete. The diary is in fair condition. The spine is slightly damaged and many pages are stained (see photos). However, the handwriting is quite legible. Of special interest are the newspaper clippings and articles included which reference momentous events of the day. The author of the diary is the Honorable Andrew J... View More...
On offer is an interesting personal loan note drafted in Revolutionary France. The document is dated the 19th Prairial of Year IX which corresponds to June 7th, 1800. The document was drafted in the Department of Pas de Calais, in northern France and bears a stamp duty seal from that regional government. The parties to it are two individuals ? Antoine Marechal and one Monsieur Enlart. Our informal research has not been able to find any additional information about either of these two men. An excerpt of the document follows: Je soussigne [] Antoine Marechal, cultivateur demeurant a [] receverai... View More...
On offer is a fascinating medical letter, written for legal purposes, on the letterhead of the French ?lunatic asylum?, Maison Royale De Charenton. This letter was authored by French physician and psychiatrist, Antoine-Athanase Royer-Collard. At the time of this letter?s writing, on September 16, 1819, Dr. Royer-Collard was Director of Charenton. In this letter, Dr. Royer-Collard confirms that Madame Senouie (Elizabeth Gillette) is a patient of the institution. He goes on to say that she is suffering from dementia and is not fit to appear before a public official, presumably to answer allegati... View More...
On offer is the inaugural address of an early 19th century French Archbishop of the Roman Catholic church, Guillame-Aubin de Villele. The document is the pastoral letter published by the newly-installed Archbishop of the Diocese of Bourges, France. Pastoral letters are written by the head of the Diocese to clergy and often to all members of the church in a particular jurisdiction. Such letters were frequently sent out at particular times of the year, coinciding with ecclesiastical seasons, such as Lent or Christmas. However, they were not limited to any particular event or celebration. In this... View More...
On offer are 2 printed pastoral letters from the French Diocese of Bourges dating to the late 19th century. The letters were written by Jean-Joseph Marchal. Marchal was born in 1822. Ordained a priest in 1845, he served as a professor in a major seminary before beginning pastoral work in 1855. He was first appointed a Bishop in 1875 (Diocese of Belley) and subsequently Archbishop of Bourges in 1880. Marchal passed away in 1892. The 1st document is undated, however, from context, it can be dated to March 3rd, 1881. It is titled L?Oeuvre du Denier de Saint Pierre. (The Alms of Saint Peter). This... View More...
On offer are two Pastoral Letters from 1807 and 1808 that were written by the Archbishop of Bourges, arie-Charles-Isidore de Mercy, immediately following the French Revolution, which were dangerous times for many clergy. De Mercy was the first Archbishop appointed to Bourges following the French Revolution. The diocese was poor and understaffed when he took over. Among the many issues de Mercy had to contend with in his new appointment was the condition of the diocese?s major seminary or teaching facility for educating priests. This was the subject of two of his Pastoral Letters. Pastoral lett... View More...
On offer is a most unique collection of eleven diaries as well as family photographs, mementos and records of Arthur H. A. Robinson, a noted Canadian Mining Engineer, during the heyday of the great mining discoveries in northern Ontario. The diaries allow the reader to follow the Robinson family for 75 years, beginning with an 1850s-60s diary kept by Arthur H. A. Robinson?s father before Arthur was born, moving on to 27 years of diaries kept by Arthur himself from age 13 to 40. Finally, the collection concludes with two diaries written by Arthur?s son, from age 14 through his time at Queen?s U... View More...
On offer is a typewritten letter to a young soldier named James who is currently overseas serving in France from his Aunt Mary back home. The letter was written on August 12, 1945, six days after the United States dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, three days after the United States bombed Nagasaki and two days before Japan surrendered, ending World War II. It is no surprise, then, that the tone of Aunt Mary?s letter is anxious. She begins by sharing a paragraph about Snook, presumably her son, who joined the army one week before, and is in. She is desperately hoping Snook will find a way to come ... View More...
On offer is an outstanding example of a French legal contract of the type used in property transactions during the days of the French Revolution. The document was drawn in 1796 by a man signed only as Barazer. He lives in Brittany and owns property in the former Commune of Ploujean, now part of Morlaix. He is a member of the Barazer family who hailed from Lanurien. Our informal research has not found any additional information about him. The contract is between Mr. Barazer and a husband and wife from Ploujean named Michel Cohannec and Marie Anne Pape. They were married in Ploujean on November ... View More...
On offer is an unpublished manuscript entitled The Less important Sister, written by a very successful female advertising professional in the 1930s. The author of this manuscript is Barbour Walker Lyndon. Born in 1885, she was educated at Barnard College where she graduated in 1907. She spent her professional career in the print advertising research business. She was married to Earl Hadley. Barbour Walker Lyndon Hadley passed away in 1962 at the age of 77. Lyndon founded the Publishers Information Bureau (PIB) which is considered to this day as a trusted source of data for many news organizati... View More...
On offer is an excellent example of the type of legal discourse relating to commercial transactions in 18th century France. The letter was written by a lawyer named Belize, in Paris 1789, only a few months before the beginnings of the French Revolution. The recipient is not named. However, on the reverse, there is a list of names of those who apparently had an interest in this case and the recipient most likely was one of those persons. An excerpt of the document follows: Comme vous me aparutir fort effecte sur le compte du mal entendu d'affaire que subsiste entre M. Votre frere et M Nayat Pro... View More...
On offer is an exceptional and complete composition book written by Ms. Bertha Anna King. Ms. King?s family were among the early settlers of the state of Oregon, and she is descended from Nahum Amos King. Nahum A. King was a War of 1812 veteran, who was a survivor of the ?Lost Wagon Train? on the Oregon Trail. Kings Valley, Oregon is named for him as he is known to be the first white settler in the region. Our author, Bertha Anna King, was born in Oregon in February of 1889. She passed away in January, 1987, weeks shy of her 99th birthday. She never married. During her life, she graduated from... View More...
On offer is a fine handwritten journal dating from 1877, describing a trip taken by an American teen to Paris. The journal was written by C. Maude Newcomb, who lived in Biddeford, Maine. Newcomb was born in January, 1861. She passed away in January, 1937 at the age of 61. Newcomb was a member of the Thursday Club of Biddeford, Maine. Our informal research has not turned up any additional information about her. In 1877, Newcomb left her home in Maine to travel with her father, mother and her sisters to Europe. Her father appears to have been quite successful. They went first to Boston where the... View More...
On offer is an interesting example of an attempt to draft a letter in early 19th century France. This undated document appears to be a draft. There is no indication as to whom it is addressed. The draft appears to be a complaint by one Cadet de Naux. It is difficult to make out the writer?s argument due to the extensive cross-outs and word substitutions. For a historian, the value in this small piece lies in the illustration of how this early writer is attempting to formulate his thoughts. Paper was not readily available and was expensive so one can look at this and get a sense of the effort t... View More...
