1893 Personal Note from French Author, Joseph de Pesquidoux, Son of Countess Olga

On offer is a note written by one of France’s great writers, Joseph de Pesquidoux, Count of Pesquidoux in 1893, nicknamed the “Gascon Virgil”.

In this note, Pesquidoux references his mother, Countess Olga, by name and a book that she has just published titled Miel et Dard – a book of short and sometimes caustic sayings. His note is a request to an unnamed recipient, an excerpt of which follows:

Je prie au directeur [] d'envoyer a [] ci-dessous tous les articles qui parcitrout du le livre de Miel et Dard par la Comtesse Olga...

[Translation: I am asking the Director of [] to send to [] below all the articles that the Countess Olga has published in the book of Miel et Dard…]

Pesquidoux was born at the castle of Savigny-lès-Beaune, located in Burgundy. In December 1869. His parents were Léonce Dubosc, Count of Pesquidoux and Olga Beuverand de la Loyère, who wrote under the name Countess Olga. Both were accomplished and well-known writers.Pesquidoux served in the French Army and saw action in WWI. Returning to literature following the war, he won the Grand Prix de littérature de l’Académie française in 1927 and was elected to the Academy in 1936.

For a historian or a lover of French literature, this is a direct connection to one of France’s celebrated authors and literary families.

This small note measures 6.75 inches by 4.25 inches. The page has 2 small holes punched in the left margin which likely were made to accommodate a binding. Written in 1893, there are pencil markings on the note, likely put there by an auction house that had this note in their possession prior to it being acquired by this seller,  but they do not obscure the contents. The paper is in good condition.