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c.1796 Unused notepaper for "Bonaparte General en Chef de l'Armee d'Italie" at "au Quartier General de Milan" with a fine large engraving of the seated figure of Liberty. Napoleon was Commander in Chief of the Army of Italy in 1796-97. £100-120
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Egypt. 1798 (Dec 1) Letter on printed "BONAPARTE, General en Chef" notepaper written in Cairo to Admiral Ganteaume concerning armed feluccas for use in the Red Sea, signed "Bonaparte", some toning, a fine and rare Bonaparte signed letter written in Egypt. Also various associated nineteenth century prints. Ex John Firebrace collection, illustrated on page 9 of his book "Nineteenth Century Wars in Egypt and Sudan", sold for £3,200 in the 2001 auction of his collection. Photo on Page 98. £2,000-2,400
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1803 Documents confirming officers promotions, both listing their service records, both signed by Marshal Berthier as Minister of War and Hughes Maret as Secretary of State with "Bonaparte" written in a secretarial hand. (2). £200-250
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1805 (Mar 8) Letter written from Turin by Prince Eugene de Beauharnais, Napoleon's son-in-law, to Marshal Berthier, Minister of War, informing him of various troop movements, initialled in the upper left corner by Napoleon. At this time Napoleon and Beauharnais were touring northern Italy; in May Napoleon crowned himself King of Italy and appointed his son-in-law Viceroy. £500-600
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1805 (Nov 13) Printed notepaper "Extrait des Minutes de la Secretairerie d'etat, Napoleon, Empereur des Francaise" with "Roi d'Italie" written below, listing the names of the tribunal at Brunes (capital of Moravia and headquarters of Napoleon before the Battle of Austerlitz on December 2nd), initialled in the lower left corner by Napoleon. £300-400
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1807 (Mar 28) Letter written and signed by Napoleon from Osterode in northern Poland to General Jean Dominique Compans at Liebstadt, telling him of the appointment of his brother as Subprefect of St. Gaudens in the Departement of Haute Garonne, and hopes he will do as well in the administration as the General has done in the army. A fine letter, ex Robson Lowe, sold for £650 in the 1998 auction of his collection. Photo on Page 100. £700-1,000
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1811 (May 7) Letter written and signed by Napoleon from St. Cloud to his Minister of War, the Duc de Feltre, concerning Italian and French troops to be sent to Ragusa and Cattaro. A fine handwritten signed Napoleon letter. Photo on Page 101. £1,000-1,200
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1811 (May 11) Short letter written and signed by Napoleon from St. Cloud to his Minister of War, the Duc de Feltre, regarding his previous request for the total strength of the French armed forces as at 1st May 1811. A fine handwritten signed letter. Photo on Page 100. £700-1,000
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1813 (Mar 17) Letter written from Trianon to Count Lauriston, "I am in receipt of your letter of 11 March. I do not understand what you say when you talk about taking a position of which the centre will be Brunswick and the right at Magdeberg. I understand nothing about that, I ordered you to pitch camp in front of Magdeberg, and not at Brunswick. For the rest, as formerly, you are going to be in direct communication with the Viceroy, and it is from the Viceroy that you must take your orders. I do not really know what orders you are giving to Hamburg, but you are making them lose their heads. Calm was re-established there when you warn them that people have got to be ready to evacuate the town; you make the remount depot leave there, and finally, instead of reassuring you give the alarm! I do not understand this conduct at all". Written the day after Prussia declared war on France, to Lauriston who commanded a Corps on the Elbe; he fought at Bauzen in May and Leipzig in October where he was taken prisoner. Lauriston became a Marquis in 1817 and Marshal in 1823. A fine and interesting letter written by Napoleon, signed "Nap". Photo on Page 102. £1,000-1,200
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1813 (June 14) Letter written and signed by Napoleon from Dresden, to his son-in-law and Viceroy of Italy Eugene de Beauharnais, "My Son, the 3rd Battalion of the 39th Legion should have left Ratisbonne. If this Battalion has passed Trentino let it continue on its way. If not, keep it back. You should join it to the first Battalion arriving from Augsburg which will give you two Battalions of this Regiment for arriving in Italy, Your affectionate father Napoleon". Beauharnais played an important part in the French victory at Lutzen on May 2nd and then left to organise an effective defence of Italy against the Austrians. Napoleon was at Dresden from June 10th until July 10th and met Matternich on June 26th; his last major victory was at Dresden on August 26th-27th. A fine handwritten signed letter to his son-in law, ex Robson Lowe, sold for £800 in the 1998 auction of his collection. Photo on Page 102. £900-1,100
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1814 (June 30) Letter from Portoferrajo concerning the repair of a clock, signed "Drouot", with "approuve a depenser Portoferrajo le 30 Jun 1814 Nap" written in Napoleon's handwriting. A rare item signed by Napoleon during his exile on the Island of Elba. £700-1,000
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1814 (Apr 6) Five line letter on "Imperial Eagle" watermarked paper, written in Paris to Count Mollian asking him to pay 1,500,000 francs for arms, signed "Nap". A rare Napoleon signature during the "100 days" after his return from exile, which ended with his defeat at Waterloo. £800-1,000
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1802 (Sep 9) Letter from Madame de Saint Laurent in Gibraltar to M. Pfeffel in Munich (no address panel) with interesting comments of Napoleon and his wife, and life with her lover the Duke of Kent, then the Governor of Gibraltar. An interesting long letter, with transcription, ex Robson Lowe collection. £80-100
| Bonaparte Family Letters & Documents | |
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Eugene Napoleon, son of Josephine and Alexandre de Beauharnais. 1806 (June 20) Letter written from Milan to the Minister of War, "I send you some plans and notes dictated by His Majesty. You will please have one copy made for retention at the Ministry, and you will please have another copy made and send it back to me with the originals", unusually signed "Eugene Napoleon" (instead of his usual signature "Prince Eugene"). Eugene served as Viceroy in Italy, and led armies in the campaigns in Italy, Russia and the defence of France. £150-200
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Joseph Bonaparte, elder brother of Napoleon. 1808 (Apr 22) Letter written from Caserta to the Minister of War, signed Joseph, concerning a Colonel in the Second Regiment of Line. Joseph Bonaparte was King of Naples 1806-08 and King of Spain 1808-13. £150-180
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Joseph Bonaparte, elder brother of Napoleon. 1818 (June 21) Letter written from Philadelphia to Mr Lewis Solomon in Washington, signed Joseph Ct de Survilliers. Joseph has no recollection of the item supposedly furnished by Solomon, but sends the 1100 francs claimed as he pleads the cause of the orphans with so true an accent. Joseph left Europe for the USA in 1815, living in Philadelphia as the Count de Survilliers until 1832. £150-180
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Louis Bonaparte, younger brother of Napoleon. 1806 (Jan 29) Letter written from Paris to General Coland approving the arrangements for the defence of Nijmegen, including the suspension of the works on the bridgehead and square, and the Generals departure for Utrecht, signed "Louis Bonaparte". Louis served in Italy, Malta, Egypt and Holland, was promoted to General and Constable of the Empire in 1804 and became King of Holland in 1806, but abdicated in 1810 after quarrelling with Napoleon. £150-180
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Louis Bonaparte, younger brother of Napoleon. 1809 (July 2) Letter to a Monsieur Van de Heim concerning two American sailors from the "Choloupes" which was captured by two French Privateers. The sailors, currently under the supervision of Admiral Lemmers, are to be given their liberty, and handed over to the Director of Customs. A fine letter written at Loo, signed "Louis". £150-180
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Joachim Murat (Napoleon), husband of Caroline Bonaparte. 1808 (Sep 28) Letter to the Minister of the Interior regarding recruits for the army, signed "Joachim Napoleon", upper portion cut away with no apparent loss to the letter content. Also three 1808-15 printed decrees from Naples all headed "Gioacchino Napoleone". Murat led armies in Italy, Egypt and Russia, married Caroline in 1800, became Marshal in 1804 and King of Naples in 1808 when he adopted the surname Bonaparte. In 1813 he abandoned Napoleon and made treaties with Austria and England, but again declared war against Austria in March 1815 after Napoleon's return from Elba. He was defeated in May 1815 and shot in October after trying to regain the Neapolitan throne. (4). £180-220
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Caroline Bonaparte, youngest sister of Napoleon. c.1830 Letter (simply dated "30 July") from Florence, signed "C. di Lipona", addressed to "Monsieur le Chevalier de Girard a Varsovie" handstamped "FIRENZE" with red "KRAKOW" c.d.s on reverse. Caroline thanks Girard for his kind letter and congratulations, and tells of a recent visit to Paris. Caroline married Joachim Murat in 1800 and became Queen of Naples in 1808. After her husband's death in 1815 she retired to Vienna and took the name Contesse di Lipona (an anagram of "Napoli"). A fine postally used letter. £120-150
| Marshals of France/Empire | |
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Pierre Augereau, Duke of Castiglione, Marshal of the Empire 1804. 1808 and 1813 Letters to the Minister of War, the first recommending Major Guassart, Legion D"Honneur, be promoted to Colonel (with a note showing his promotion was confirmed by the Emperor); the second from Wurtzbourg requesting Andre Julien Fossey be promoted to Adjutant to the Commissioner of War in the H.Q of the Army Corps commanded by Augereau, both signed "Augereau". Augereau distinguished himself in Italy, Germany and Holland, and was elected a member of the Council of Five Hundred in 1799. (2). £200-250
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Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince of Neuchatel and Wagram, Marshal of the Empire 1804. 1801-06 Letters and documents signed "Berthier" as Minister of War, three on headed notepaper, also 1811 letter from the Minister of War the Duc de Feltre sent to Berthier and initialled by him. Berthier served as Napoleon's Chief of Staff and fought in Italy, Egypt, Austria, Russia, Germany and France distinguishing himself at Marengo, and was Minister of War in 1799-1800 and 1800-07. (5). £240-300
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Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince of Neuchatel and Wagram, Marshal of the Empire 1804. 1806 (Oct 19) Letter written and signed by Berthier from Halle, to the Elector of Hesse-Cassel, informing him that Hanover is to be a military camp on the stage route to France and appointing a military commander to the town; 1807 abstract from the pay list signed by Quarter Master General Duplessis showing Berthier received 13,333 francs in four months as a Major-General in the Armee des Cotes; and 1814 (Oct 27) letter written from Paris as Chief of Staff, advising that M. Champton of Noailler will not continue his war service, and will not be replaced. A good trio, the 1806 letter sent after Napoleon's Confederation of the Rhine; the 1814 letter written during Napoleon's exile in Elba. In April 1814 Berthier joined the provisional government that took over after Napoleon's abdication; when Napoleon returned from exile he refused to join him, and escorted Louis XVII and the court to Ghent. He died on June 1st 1815 when he fell from a window at Barnberg whilst watching allied troops marching past to France. (3). £240-300
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Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince of Neuchatel and Wagram, Marshal of the Empire 1804. 1812 (July 25) Letter written from Biechenkovski to General Gudin, ordering him to supply General Poiterin de Moreillan with 400 workers and carpenters and the necessary officers to manage them in order to build the bridge at Dwina, signed "Alexandre". A scarce letter from the Russian campaign, to General Gudin who was killed at the Battle of Valutino on August 22nd. £200-250
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Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince of Neuchatel and Wagram, Marshal of the Empire 1804. 1813 (Sep 9) Letter written from Dohna to General Bertrand, "The Emperor is here in Dohna engaging the enemy, whom he attacked and routed yesterday. His Majesty orders you to rally your corps and concentrate it around Torgau and if you know the situation move both army and artillery. You have the munitions at Torgau", signed "Alexandre". Three days earlier Ney was defeated at Dennewitz, and in October the British entered France whilst Napoleon was defeated at Leipzig, where Bertrand's initiative ensured a large part of the French army escaped. £140-160
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Charles Gabuel, Marquess of Castries, Marshal of France 1783. 1783 (Dec 4) Letter from Versailles to M. de Tellecombe in Saint Domingue, approving his request to give two soldiers leave from their regiment at Port-au-Prince, signed "Le Mss de Castries". Gabuel led the 1756 expedition to St. Lucia (the town of Castries being named after him). In 1799 he left France and fought for the Prussians. An interesting letter to Haiti. £150-180
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Comte Jean Baptiste Jourdan, Marshal of the Empire 1804. 1799 (Feb 15) Letter on "Jourdan, General en Chef" printed notepaper, from the General Headquarters at Strasbourg, to Citizen Jean Debry, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic at the Congress of Rastadt. Jourdan is unable to give the Prince de Linage an unlimited safe conduct which would allow him to travel freely across the armies of the republic; however he will grant him a safe conduct to remain in the town in Germany which he designates to Jourdan. Jourdan distinguished himself in the revolutionary wars of 1793-95 in Austria and Germany but was defeated in Germany and Switzerland in 1799. A fine letter, signed "Jourdan". £130-160
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Jacques Macdonald, Duke of Taranto, Marshal of the Empire 1809. 1800 (May 16) Letter from Paris written and signed by Macdonald, addressed to "Citoyen David, Rue Montmartre, Hotel de France No 39 a Paris" with red datestamp and "27" handstamp, charged "1". Macdonald served in the 1792-93 revolutionary wars and in the invasion of Holland, Germany and Italy, led the successful attack at Wagram for which he was made a Duke and Marshal, and in Spain and Russia. David was painter to Louis XVI, was elected to the 1792 Convention and voted for the Kings death; he supported Napoleon when he came to power and was exiled to Brussels in 1815. An interesting postally used letter sent between two historic figures. £150-180
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Michel Ney, Duke of Elchingen, Prince of Moscow, Marshal of the Empire 1804. 1806 (Oct 13) Handwritten and signed "Ordre au Marechal Ney" - "The enemy is with 40,000 men between Weimar and Jena, thrust with your Corps d"Armee as far as you can towards Jena in order to be at Jena early tomorrow. Collect all your light cavalry and return to the regiment all the artillery personnel. Drive the enemy back with your light cavalry to the gates of Jena, try to be yourself this evening at Jena in order to be present at the reconnaissance of the enemy which the Emperor will make this evening, Major General Berthier". Below this is written "My dear General, give the necessary orders to carry out the above instructions. I count on your zeal in this important matter. I am leaving at this moment to join the Emperor", signed Ney. The French shattered the main Prussian forces at the Battles of Jena and Auerstadt on this day, despite Ney launching an unauthorised attack which nearly ended in disaster. He later fought in the disastrous Russian campaign and at Quatre Bras where he failed to break the British lines or attack Blucher's forces. £180-220
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Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult, Duke of Dalmatia, Marshal of the Empire 1804, Marshal General of France 1847. 1815 (May 28) Letter written from Paris to Lieutenant General George Mouton, Comte de Loban, Commander in Chief of the 1st Division, regarding a report received from Comte d'Erlon of desertions from the 5th Batallion of the Oise and referring to the Provost Marshal General Radet, signed "Duc de Dalmatia". Soult distinguished himself at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 and later in the Peninsular; after Napoleon's return from exile in 1815 he served as his Chief of Staff. A rare letter written during this "100 days" period from this famous Marshal. £180-220
| Other French Napoleonic Letters & Documents | |
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1796-1813 Letters and documents comprising 1789 entire letter posted from Dublin to Comte Antoine Andreossy in Milan; 1796 letter to General Hoche from his secretary discussing military matters, troop movements and the Bureau in Paris; 1800 report signed by Lazare Carnet, Minister of War, sent to Napoleon concerning an officer recommended by General Morand to command the artillery in Alexandria, inscribed with Napoleon's answer, to select another officer; 1808 letter from Stralsund reporting 28 officers in hospital and rapid repairs to the fort; 1809 Power of Attorney from the Imperial Notary in Paris conferring the title of Baron on Alexandre Digeon, Brigadier General in the Armee D'Espagne; 1813 letter from General Damas at Dusseldorf on headed notepaper, concerning the application of a customs officer. (6). £200-250
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Joseph Fouche, Minister of Police. 1808-09 Letters signed by Fouche, the first on headed notepaper acknowledging receipt of a declaration made before him by Armand Vandore in the name of his deceased mother; the second to the Minister of War concerning five Englishmen implicated in the affair of Chateaubriant, who have been ordered to be sent to a depot for prisoners of war. Fouche joined the revolution in 1792, plotted the overthrow of the Directory in 1799 and then supported Napoleon who made him Minister of Police in 1800; he was known for his ruthlessness and widely feared. (2). £200-240
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1780-1808 Army documents comprising 1780 soldiers service certificate issued at St. Pierre, Martinique, during the second French occupation of the island, with details of wounds received at St. Lucia, etc; 1794 account for the salary of Chief of Brigade Tavot, Armee de L'Ouest, plus allowances and food, with Paid and auditors handstamps; 1796 leave pass for Sergeant Major Moreau signed by General of Brigade Geneis, Commissar of War Rollo and twelve officers; 1808 letter written and signed by the Duc d'Abrantes commanding 8th Corps Armee D'Espagne, at General HQ at La Rochelle, authorising his Aide-de-Camp Captain Thomassin to go to Paris to recover his health, with wax seal of the Duke and cachet of the Military Police in Paris. (4). £180-220
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1793-1815 Entire letters from soldiers or officers (22) including three 1806 letters from Col. Barrois of the 96th Regt in Spain with "GRANDE ARMEE" handstamps, three letters on printed notepaper (including "Francois Parra, General de Brigade" signed by Parra from Milan; or Meuniev, Colonel du 9 Regimen d'Infanterie Legore signed by Meuniev from Montreuil), also letters sent to soldiers (2, one in Corfu) or to Col. Barrois or his wife, a few faults though most are fine. (26). £300-350
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Egypt. 1799 Entire letter signed by General Dugua in Cairo on printed notepaper of "Dugua General de division", addressed to "au Citoyen Proufrielgue au Kaire", fine and scarce. £350-450
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Egypt. 1800 (June 27) Entire letter on printed "Armee D'Orient" notepaper of General Menou, signed by the General, posted from Cairo to Damiette as a free official letter with fine "LE CAIRE" handstamp (34x4mm) in red. Very scarce, possibly the finest of just six recorded examples in red. Photo on Page 96. £1,600-1,800
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Holland. 1802-07 Documents comprising 1802 letter from Major-General Sicard at Schaffenburg to General Trelliard, Commandant of the cavalry reserve at Frankfurt, written on notepaper of General Andreossy, Army of Batavia; 1806 report from the Commander in Chief General Michaud to Prince Louis Bonaparte on the military situation in Holland, on headed notepaper - "Prussian, Austrian, Russian and Swedish troops are on or near the frontier, Michaud's army under the command of Brigadier General Rousseau is based at Berg-op-Zoom, Hanover is occupied by the Russians and Swedes"; and 1807 report from General Coulaincourt at The Hague to Louis Bonaparte. (3). £180-220
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Holland. 1800 Entire letter from Captain Preau, Quartermaster Tresurer of the 54th Demi-Brigade written from The Hague on printed notepaper, with red "HOLLANDE / TROUPEE FOISES" handstamp; 1805 entire letter written on the ship "Brutus" at Texel with red "DON D HOLLANDE / TROUPES FOISES" handstamp; and an undated entire to the Minister of War with red "DON C ARMS DU NORD" handstamp, all reasonable strikes. (3). £120-150
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Germany. 1812 (Apr 12) Two virtually identical entire letters from the Commander of the Marquis Lusignans 16th Infantry at Marburg, addressed to two brothers in Pisa, both retired Italian soldiers, concerning money owed to the brothers by other soldiers which had been won in card games, both entires charged "7". £100-120
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Army of Germany. 1809-10 Entire letters to France, the first from Brunn with "No 26 / ARM. D'ALLEMAGNE" in blue-green; the second from Aurolz with "No 28 / ARM. D'ALLEMAGNE" in black, both fine and scarce, the second not recorded in "Franzoische Armeepost" by A. Reinhardt. (2). £150-180
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Grande Armee. 1807 (Jan 10) Entire letter from Zumbek with red "PREMIER CORPS / GRANDE-ARMEE / No. 4", a good easily readable strike of this very rare handstamp. £140-160
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Grande Armee. 1807 (June 23) Entire letter from a soldier in front of Pillau, to his mother at Bergerac, with fine red "No. 22 / GRANDE ARMEE". The writer was in the 1st Division, 4th Corps, blockading Pillau near Konigsberg; he had been wounded in the hand on June 10th, but writes of the success on June 14th, when the Russians were defeated at Friedland. £100-120
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Army of Spain. 1809 (Mar 2) Entire letter from Burgos to the wife of Monsieur Benoit, Quartermaster Treasurer of the disabled soldiers department at Avignon, with fine "No. 24 / ARM. FRANCAISE / EN ESPAGNE", charged "10". The writer complains about the posts and states that even M. Joinville, Controller in Chief of the Imperial Guard HQ and son of the cashier of the Post Office in Paris has not received any letters from France for six weeks. Small piece torn from upper edge upon opening (affecting two letters of the handstamp), otherwise fine. £80-100
| Censored Mail | |
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1794 (Dec 28) Entire from Bourg Libre to Sarnen via Lucerne, with "67 / HAGUENAU" handstamp, the reverse with "CS" monogram censor cachet applied at Strasbourg, a rare early censor cachet. Photo on Page 116. £250-350
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1815 (Apr 14) Entire letter from Hamburg to Bordeaux handstamped "R.4 HAMBURG", the reverse with circular "KOENIGL: PREUSS: / ARMEE - / POLIZEI" censor cachet depicting a Prussian Eagle. This rare censor cachet is recorded in April and May 1815 only. Photo on Page 96. £200-250
| Prisoner of War Mail | |
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1804 (June 17) Entire letter from James Vivian, apprentice from the Brig Betsy (of St. Ives) held as a P.O.W at Givet, to his brother at Hayle Copper House in Cornwall, handstamped oval "TRANSPORT OFFICE / (crown) / G.R. / PRISONERS OF WAR", backstamped in London (Sep 26), charged 10d. Vivian informs his brother of his arrival at Givet after a long march, the prison holds 1132 prisoners, the Captain has been sent to Verdun; he asks for money to sent with a draft to his Captain, or "direct at Givet, Belonging to the Brig Betsy". Vertical fold, otherwise fine. Photo on Page 96. £200-240
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1806 (May 19) Entire letter from Lord Elgin in Paris to Coutts & Co in London asking them to insure four cases of pictures, which Elgin is having sent on the American ship "Catherine", for £1,500. He also asks that Lady Elgin be informed that he has yet to receive his passport, and has little hope of receiving it soon. Lord Elgin, former Ambassador in Constantinople, was returning home through France in May 1803 when war was again declared, and he was arrested along with some 10,000 other English civilians; he was detained for three years, in prisons and under house arrest in a Paris hotel, finally being released late in 1806. A fine letter, charged 9d, with oval "SHIP / (crown) / LETTER" and a London backstamp. £150-200
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1806 (Nov 10) Entire letter from Croisic to "Monsieur Guillaume, tartare a bord du ponton Le Rochester prisonnier de guerre a Chatam en Engleterre a Chatam", endorsed "port paye", with "42 / GUERANDE" handstamp, the reverse with manuscript "8d". A fine letter to a naval prisoner on a hulk at Rochester or Chatham. Photo on Page 116. £300-350
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1813 (Oct 15) Entire letter from Auguste Lecuffe, a pressed sailor from the Frigate "La Roulette" held prisoner of war at Dartmoor, to the Mayor of St. Servan asking for financial assistance, charged 5 decimes. Handstamped "Exd JM", applied by censor and interpreter John Moore, fine and scarce. Photo on Page 116. £400-500
| Admiral Nelson Signed Letters & Documents | |
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Nevis. 1787 (May 8) Handwritten document "These are to certify the Principal Officers & Commissioners of His Majestys Navy, that Mr William Batty served as servant of His Majesty's Ship Boreas under my command from the 24 March 1784 to the 1 January 1786, and as ab [able seaman] from that time to the 1st of May following, and from which time to the date hereof he served as midshipman of the said ship, during which time he behaved himself with diligence and sobriety and was always obedient to command, Given under my hand on board His Majestys Ship the Boreas in Nevis Road the 8 May 1787", signed "Horatio Nelson". Also a small piece with "Wm Battys whole servitude 4 years 6 months 6 days, as Midshipman 1 year 9 months 24 days" written upon it. The document with some folds, the edges trimmed with no loss to the written text, both items pasted on to card. A good example of Nelson's signature, signed when he was 28 years old, and had been in command of H.M.S "Boreas" in the West Indies for three years. Not recorded in "The Despatches and Letters of Lord Nelson" by Nicolas. Photo on Page 110. £3,000-3,500
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