Description:

Bonaparte Napoleon



Napoleon DS from Elba Dating Halfway through his First Exile, and Co-Signed by Bertrand, Napoleon's Faithful General & Servant

 

1p ADS in French signed by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) as "Np" in the left margin. Also containing one word in Napoleon's hand, possibly "Annulled," which would have been Napoleon's response to a request. Written on September 30, 1814 from Portoferraio, the "capital" city of Elba Island. Also co-signed by Napoleon's faithful military aide Henri Gatien, Count Bertrand (1773-1844) as "Bertrand" at bottom right. The cream stationery paper features a gorgeous 4.5" diameter watermark at center; the round medallion depicts a bust profile of Napoleon's second wife Marie-Louise nee Franziska entitled "M. Louise d'Autriche / Emperatrice Reine Etc." The document is inscribed in an elegant clerical hand. With a few wrinkles and light expected folds, else near fine. 8.125" x 11.875".

 

"Able was I ere I saw Elba." This well-known palindromic phrase alludes to the angst Napoleon must have felt during his first exile. He had been so close to controlling the world; now he was relegated to an Italian land-spit. This outstanding document was written during that period.

 

Napoleon abdicated his imperial throne on April 4, 1814, following a series of abject failures in the War of the Sixth Coalition (1813-1814). The fallen Emperor accepted terms of unconditional surrender a few days later. The Treaty of Fontainebleau, signed on April 11, 1814, exiled Napoleon to Elba Island, where he would serve as sovereign for 300 days.

 

Elba was one of the largest islands of the Tuscan archipelago, located about 30 miles east of Napoleon's birthplace, Corsica, and about 6 miles southwest of Piombino in mainland Italy. Napoleon arrived on Elba in early May 1814 and would reside there until his escape in February 1815. As governor of Elba, Napoleon implemented many improvements. He transferred his formidable administrative skills, honed by building an empire, to perfecting the infrastructure, societal order, and military of an island measuring just 86 square miles.

 

This letter dates from September 30, 1814 (written using the Old Regime abbreviation "30 7bre 1814.") It concerned one Louis Bartolini, a notary from nearby Capoliveri, located 13 km away in southeastern Elba.

 

Translation:

 

"Report to the Emperor

 

Sire,

 

Mr Louis Bartolini, Notary at Capoliveri and substitute Tribunal judge, requests authorization to exercise his functions at Porto ferrajo [sic].

 

The 2 Notaries that currently serve there [fulfill the needs of] the Law and the city's population; but as they annul the triple functions of Notary, of attorney, and of lawyer, the thought was that it would be good to grant the request of M. Louis Bartolini, who enjoys a good reputation; it is the opinion of the President, and of the Imperial Procurer.

 

I have thus the honor of proposing to Your Majesty that you authorize Mr. Louis Bartolini to exercise the Notaries at Porto ferrajo [sic].

 

Porto ferrajo [sic] 30 September 1814

 

Grand Marshall

Bertrand

 

____

 

[in left margin]

 

Annulled (?)

Np."

 

The document was addressed to Napoleon by his devoted follower Henri Gatien, Count Bertrand, who had first served with Napoleon in Egypt in the 1790s. Bertrand served as Napoleon's aide-de-camp, general, regional governor, and after 1813, Grand Marshal of the Palace. Bertrand's numerous promotions cemented his personal fidelity to Napoleon; he followed Napoleon to Elba in 1814 and to St. Helena in 1815. In 1840, Bertrand retrieved Napoleon's remains from St. Helena for interment in Les Invalides in Paris.

 

An exceptional document signed by Napoleon while exiled on Elba!

 


WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!
Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS. ALSO, ALL PACKAGES SHIPPED FROM OUR OFFICES REQUIRE A DIRECT SIGNATURE UPON DELIVERY.*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

December 5, 2018 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000