ORIGINAL!RARE! 1690’s FRENCH VELLUM MANUSCRIPT BOOKLET 24p BOURGES HEART TAX LOUIS XIV
1690’s FRENCH VELLUM MANUSCRIPT BOOKLET 24p BOURGES HEART TAX LOUIS XIV
Featuring Six Original Woodcut Heart-Shaped 4-Denier Tax Stamps (Généralité de Bourges)
Up for sale/sale is a highly authentic, original late-17th-century French legal manuscript meticulously handwritten on durable vellum. Dating precisely to the 1690s during the absolute rule of King Louis XIV ("The Sun King"), this document provides a remarkable glimpse into the bureaucratic and legal history of the historic Berry region.
Dimensions & Format
- Structure: 24-page self-cover booklet format (composed of nested, unbound vellum sheets, completely intact as originally compiled without a rigid spine).
- Dimensions: Width 7 1/2" x Height 10" (Approx. 19 cm x 25.4 cm).
- Condition of Vellum: Strong, heavy vellum with expected light age-toning, natural texture variations, and minor edge wear. The text remains wonderfully preserved in a dark, crisp, period-correct archival script.
Philatelic & Fiscal Stamp Features
This manuscript is an exceptional piece for fiscal philatelists, featuring six (6) original woodcut tax stamps(papier timbré) struck at the head of six separate pages.
- Stamp Text: 4 DEN GEN. DEBOURGES (4 Deniers tax, issued for the Généralité of Bourges).
- Iconography: A beautiful, highly distinct heart-shaped frame surrounding three traditional French Fleurs-de-lis, topped by a single Royal Crown at the top center.
- Texture: Hand-struck using antique woodcut or hammer-printing methods, leaving a visually striking, rich ink texture on the vellum surface.
Notarial Annotations & Content
The manuscript retains its historical administrative markings, including period registration annotations and clerk hand-signatures near the stamp margins, reading phonetically as "Controllé" (registered/taxed) and signed by the local royal bureau clerk, "Charpentier." The body of the document opens with the traditional full-text dating formula from the 1690's: "L'an de grâce mil six cent quatre-vingt..." An incredible addition to any collection of pre-1800 ephemera, legal history, paleography, or early French fiscal stamps.
Shipping & Handling
The item will be shipped flat, securely layered between rigid archival backing boards, and protected against moisture to ensure safe transit. Fully insured shipping with tracking.
THIS IS NOT A REPRODUCTION OR A COPY.
PLEASE SEE MY 100% POSITIVE response AND BUY WITH CONFIDENCE.
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