Handwritten administrative letter 1788, royal notary, 18th century laid paper

AFW - Antique France Worldwide

Handwritten administrative document dated November 9, 1788, written in brown ink on old paper. An 18th-century archival piece, with neat cursive handwriting, preserving the lively character of Old Regime notarial documents.

Description

Old handwritten letter or administrative document from the 18th century, dated 1788. The document is written in ink on old paper, with regular and dense cursive handwriting, characteristic of civil and notarial acts from the end of the Ancien Régime.

The upper part bears the date "9.11.1788" as well as a handwritten note opening the act. Several passages evoke an administrative and land framework, with references to a place, a parish, witnesses, annuities, and notarial intervention. The mention of a royal notary is also distinguishable, an element consistent with the legal practice of the period.

The whole presents a documentary interest due to its handwriting, its legal formulation, and its administrative vocabulary. The sheet retains its old folds, its irregular margins, and the matte texture of period paper.

Context

Dated 1788, this manuscript is part of the administrative practices of the late 18th century, on the eve of the French Revolution. Notarial acts and court records from this period were handwritten, often on laid paper, and used precise legal language, structured by mentions of parties, witnesses, places, and rights attached to property.

This type of document constitutes a material testament to local administrative practice under the Ancien Régime, when royal notaries ensured the drafting and conservation of civil, land, or contractual acts.

Condition

Used old document, sold as is. Paper yellowed and patinated by time, with folds, foxing, signs of use, small tears and missing parts at the edges. The ink remains well present, with areas more or less legible depending on the passages. The whole retains a beautiful presence as an old archive.

AFW

AFW takes particular care in preparing its old items. Shipping is carried out with suitable packaging, designed to preserve the document during transport.

Keywords: [Old handwritten administrative letter 18th century 1788]