We offer a selection of letters and manuscripts from men and women who, through their writings, acts or discoveries, have influenced the course of history.
Unpublished autograph manuscript, « Pour la Lumière », signed « Emile Zola »
[Grosvenor Hotel, London, 19 July 1898], 5 pages in-4 on ligned paper
“Of all my open letter to the president [« J’accuse…! »], a few lines had been skilfully extracted […] to prevent the truth shine on the Dreyfus affair”
Portrait of Empress Eugenie by W&D Downey, period albumen print
[London, c. 1871], CDV format
Elegant portrait of the Empress, with a melancholic gaze
Photomontage on period albumen vintage print
N.p.n.d, cabinet format (10 x 13,5 cm)
Famous photomontage depicting the death of Napoleon III, surrounded by his family and loved ones
Portrait of Emperor Napoléon III by [Levitsky] LeJeune, period albumen print
[Paris, c. 1865], CDV format
Famous portrait of the emperor, in bust
Autograph letter signed « Adrien Bizot » to the Prince Impérial
Melun, 20 septembre 1878, 4 p. in-8°
« Sad country, Sad weather! But patience, the sun of Austerlitz is not dead! »
Portrait of the Prince Impérial by Elliott & Fry
[London, c. 1875], albumen carte-de-visite
Elegant portrait of Prince Imperial, printed in his honor after his tragic death in Southern Africa
Portrait of the Prince Impérial by Gösta Florman, period albumen print
[Stockholm, 1878], carte-de-visite format
Supere portrait of the Prince Impérial by Gösta Florman
Photomontage on period albumen print
N.p.n.d, cabinet format (10 x 13,5 cm)
Extremely rare photomontage depicting the killing of the Prince Imperial by the Zulus, in southern Africa
Nineteen period albumen prints
The Imperial Family and its entourage, CDV format
Exceptional gathering of nineteen vintage albumen prints offering a wide panorama of the imperial family, its relatives and supporters
Two autograph letters signed “Henri” to Alexandre de Monti de Rezé
Frohsdorf, 1873, 3 p. in-8, with envelope
“Saving our unfortunate country, when the time is right”
Autograph letter signed “Beauh. De Lavalette” to her cousin Eugène de Beauharnais
S.l, [11] mai [1807], 5 p. in-12
“We were so sad and discouraged by the loss my poor cousin just had that it was impossible for me to have two ideas of my own since the fatal moment”
Autograph letter signed « Beaumarchais » to comedian Préville
Paris, 31st March 1784, 2 pp. in-8°
« My play isn’t a big thing ; but seeing it in the theater is the result of four years of fighting »
Autograph aphorism signed « H. Bergson »
N.p.n.d, 1/4 p. in-8°
« As soon as we love the best in life, we become indifferent to death »
Autograph letter signed « H. Bergson » to a friend
Paris, 2nd March 1920, 3 p. 1/2 in-8°
« I believe that in philosophical matters the imprecise does not count, and that we must be three times sure of what we bring to the public if we want to obtain from it a beginning of consent »
Autograph letter signed « Billaud-Varenne » to his colleagues
Sainte-Ménehould, 16th September 1792, 3 p. 1/2 in-4°
« Keep that calm and energy that got you victory in front of the Bastille and the Château des Tuileries »
Autograph letter signed “B”
Prague, 14th March 1835, 4 pages in-8
“What a fateful event that the death of this excellent Emperor”
Autograph letter signed “Caroline” to a Prince
[Naples, 15th May 1813], 2 p. grand in-8
“It is cruel to see the disappearance of the people who for 15 years have been attached to the Emperor and have shared all his memories.”
Autograph letter signed “Charles Philippe” to Charles de Barentin
Edinburgh, 4th March 1803, 1 p. in-4, address on verso, remains of black wax seal
“I promise myself our usual dispositions to employ you for all that is of interest to the service of the King my brother and mine”
Autograph letter signed « Le Vte de Chateaubriand » to Abel
Paris, 29th 7bre [September] 1815, 4 pp. in-8°
« I demanded freedom of thought, which brought Buonaparte’s fury and his new threats to have me shot »
Autograph name card signed “GL” to Michel Alexandre Gaston Tournier
N.d.n.p, 1 p. in-24
“For your good memory”
Autograph novel for his collection of articles Aux Embuscades de la vie
N.p [1903], 10 pp. in-4
“This happiness did not seem to be done for the miserable Jew who until now had been striving in vain to conquer gold”
Autograph manuscript signed « JB Clément »
N.p, dated 23rd April 1869, 4 p. in-8°
« J’en couperai pour cette belle France / Dont j’ai chanté la gloire et les revers »
2 stereoscopic views of Paris during the Commune of 1871
Original photographs, albumen prints 7,7 x 7,4 cm. Mounted on printed Bristols
Autograph letter signed “V Considérant” tp Mr Berger
Paris [Probably 1848], 2 pages in-8
Rare letter of the philosopher
Autograph letter signed “Victor H” à Joséphine Trébuchet
Brussels, 19th December [1851], 1 page in-8 on double sheet
“I fought for the right, for the truth, for the righteous, for the people, for France”
Autograph letter signed « Laperouse » to Poussielgue
Paris, 18th June 1785, 1 page in-8, address on verso
“I will be gone from Brest…”
Lettre autographe signée “F. de Lamennais” à M. Lasneau
Paris, 20 juin 1825, 1 page in-8
“Two copies of my Imitation”
Autograph letter signed “Louis” to a Monsieur
N.d.n.p (1781 before May), 1 page small in-8 on double sheet
“I could give the last orders on Sunday to Mr. Amelot and Mr. Necker, for I wish that the thing would not drag on for too long”
Autograph letter signed « Masaryk » to a political activist
S.l, 21st December 1893, 2 p. 1/4 in-8°
« If the party turns against me, it opposes the men of confidence, as well as the vote of confidence that was granted to me »
Autograph letter signed « Charles Maurras » to Louis-Xavier de Ricard
S.l, 31st December [1892], 15 p. in-8°, bespoke binding by Michel Kieffer
« I confess that I am anti-Jewish without being anti-Semitic »
Autograph letter to his grandparents
Mazamet 31st March [1935], 1 p. ¾ in-4
« I would not have wanted him to precede me in such a disastrous way. That he followed me there later, much later, it would have been in order… »
Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Farnborough Hill, 17th November 1892, 3 p. in-8° on mourning paper
« Never before have we kissed and armed so much in Europe. As long as it is a guarantee of peace ! »
Autograph letter signed « Eugénie », to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Camden Place, Chislehurst, 16th March 1880, 4 p. in-8°, mourning paper
« I hope, upon my return, either to be stronger or no longer need to rely on my strengths »
Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Camden Place, Chislehurst, 10 10bre [October 1873], 4 p. in-8°, mourning paper
« When you want an unhealthy share of popularity, you don’t know how to absolve or condemn »
Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Prince’s gate SW [London], 26 November [1881], 5 p. in-8 on mourning paper
« The widow of Napoleon III remains and will remain close to those who died in exile »
Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to Marie-Thérèse Bartholoni
Camden Place, Chislehurst [January 1873], 8 p. in-8°, mourning paper
« The Emperor’s rapid death has, so to speak, awakened the public conscience. »
Autograph letter signed « Eugénie » to French Republic president Patrice de Mac-Mahon
Chislehurst, Camden Place [June 1873], 4 p. in-8
“I am not asking you anything for the future but to respect a past that was the cradle of your glory”
Letter signed “Necker” to Mrs les Commissaires du Roi au Dept. du Nord
Paris, 27th July 1790, 1 p. in-folio on laid paper
Original photograph by Vezenberg – Co. in S. Petersburg
Period albumen print (1896). Business card format
Moving portrait of the Romanov family in 1896
Autograph letter signed « L. Pasteur » to Professor Charles Bouchard
Paris, 19 July 1888, 3 pages in-8 on double sheet
“We have tested his immunity by inoculation on the brain’s surface”
Autograph letter signed twice, « Louis Pasteur » and « LP », to Comtesse Greffulhe
Paris, 20th February 1892, 2 pages squared in-8 on double sheet, Institut Pasteur letterhead.
“Think of the unnameable number of dogs which there would be to vaccinate in Paris !”
Autograph letter signed « Louis Napoléon » to his friend Pierre de Bourgoing
Camden place, 23rd October 1870, 2 p. in-8° on bifolio
« England will never be worth France ! »
Autograph letter signed « N » to Jeanne de Pierres
Florence, 23 February 1876[77], 1 p. in-8 on double sheet, autograph envelope attached
“I beg you to remember that there is a man who has sincerely loved you and who would be proud to pay with his blood the price of your honor”
Three autograph letters signed to Peter Kemp and one autograph manuscript signed
[Paris], between 1970 and 1986, 9 p. in-8° et in-4°, one envelope
« Our son Olivier committed suicide a few days before Easter »
Autograph letter signed « J. Stalin » to Marietta Sergeevna Shaginyan
N.p, 20th May 1931, 1 p. in-folio, red ink, in russian
« Just tell me concretely who I need to put pressure on »
Autograph letter signed “Princesse de Chimay” to a friend
S.l, 27 May [circa 1816], 2 pages in-8
“by grace by charity by all that you will please my friend be human”