1896 Elegant Death Announcement from Epernay, France

On offer is a superb example of a French notification that would have been sent among family and friends announcing the death of a person and details regarding service and burial.

The document is dated 1896. It announces the death of Jules-Arsene Morant who passed away in his 58th year in Eperney France.

The notice lists the names of his wife and his 3 children. Our informal research has not discovered any additional biographical information about him.

The Notice begins with the following request:

Vous etes prie d’assister aux Convoi, Service et Enterrement de:

[Translation: You are kindly requested to attend the Transport, Service and Burial of:]

Monsieur Jules-Arsene Morant

Epoux de Madame Marie-Celest Geraudel, decede a Epernay, le Vendredi 24 Juillet 1896 dans sa 58e annee, muni des Sacrements de l’Eglise. Il sera inhume a Epernay, le Dimanche 26 de memes mois au lieu ordinaire des Sepultures, apres avoir ete presente en l’Eglise paroisalle dudit lieu.

Mr. Jules-Arsene Morant

[Translation: Husband of Mrs Marie-Celest Geraudel, deceased in Epernay, on Friday July 24, 1896 in his 58th year, provided with the Sacraments of the Church. He will be buried in Epernay on Sunday 26th of the same month at the Ordinary Site of the Sepulcher, after having been received in the parish church of the said site.]

For a social historian, this simple but elegant notice is a silent witness to daily life in a small city in northeastern France at the end of the 19th century.

The document measures 8.25 inches by 6.0 inches and sits inside a black paper frame that measures 9.25 inches by 7.0 inches. The document has a small curved flap that covers the top 2.75 inches of the notice and serves to keep the notice closed. The interior 2 pages are blank. The paper is in very good condition and the type is very clear and clean. The document was designed to be folded in half with and envelope printed on the reverse. The envelope bears the name and address of the recipient.