French Revolution Commerce Document with Defaced Fleur de Lis Seals

On offer is a fascinating manuscript fragment dating from the early French revolutionary period.

The manuscript is a sales document. It was drafted in the city of Bourges which lies in central France.

Although very hard to read, it does clearly state that it is a record of a sale.

Excerpt from document:

Consente par M. Charles Penier, pere jardinier et Marie Lige sa femme au M. Charles Penier leur fils ...

[Translation: Consented by Mr. Charles Penier, father gardener and Marie Lige his wife to Mr. Charles Penier their son...]

The reverse details the transaction but the specifics are difficult to read.

However, of note are the 2 tax stamps applied to the document. Such seals normally bear the Fleur de Lis within a circle supported by a scroll bearing the words “la Loi du Roi” signifying the King’s Law. In each case, the stamps have been mutilated to remove the Fleur de Lis, a longstanding symbol of the French monarchy and the words “du Roy” from the scroll. These alterations date this document to the early days of the French Revolution.

For a historian, these defacements indicate the zeal with which the revolutionary fervour spread even into the smallest of offices across the land. They also point to the sensitivity of an official or officials to ensure that they were on the correct side of public sentiment.

This document measures 9.5 inches by 6.75 inches. It is soiled and shows clear signs of wear and damage along the edges. The handwriting is not completely legible.