20 Years Worth of Personal Correspondence of a 19th Century Upper Class French Woman

On offer is an outstanding collection of 53 pieces of personal correspondence to and from a wealthy woman in the late 19th century France.

The letters were written between 1869 and 1889. The majority consist of personal correspondence but there are several other items with them including an invoice and some wedding announcements.

From context, it appears that these letters and documents belonged to Alice Reveliere. Also referred to as Alice Crotot-Reveliere, it seems that she lived in the small community of Chateau Renaud to the north of Paris. Our informal research has found references to a Count Etienne Reveliere and the name ‘Etienne’ appears in several letters. Some of the letters bear an embossed coat of arms with the notation “Chateau Renard”. As well, there are two formal wedding announcements of the marriages of children of Viscount de Maleissye which would normally not be directed to people outside their social class.

Many of the letters are addressed to either “Mademoiselle” or, in some cases “Ma Chere Marie” As it happens, the recipient in this case is Mlle Marie Distriut. Our informal research has not been able to turn up any additional biographical information about her. Reveliere and Distiut carried on an extensive correspondence. Other letters are exchanged between her and a woman named Alice Blanchet. As all use the salutation “Mademoiselle”, the reader may assume they are unmarried, possibly younger women.

Other connections include letters from two attorneys based in Chateau Renard discussing her affairs. There is correspondence from her bankers in Paris detailing financial transactions. The following are some excerpts which can give a flavour of the collection:

Loins de vous je n' aurais pas demain le bonheur de vous presenter de vive vous mes souhaites de nouvel an...

[Translation: Far from you tomorrow I would not have the happiness to present to you my new year wishes… December, 1880, letter from Alice Blanchet]

This letter, written by Marie Destiut to Alice Reveliere reveals a warm closeness between the tow. And, like many of the letters she received, contains a reply. An excerpt follows:

Chere Mademoiselle…Dimanche nous avons ete bien contents en voyant arrives M Etienne; … Je vous [ ] dans l'espereance que vous acceptez la petite invitation de celle qui vous embasse

[Translation: Dear Miss…Sunday we were very happy when we saw M Etienne arriving; … I in the hope that you accept the little invitation from the one who kisses you…]

Releviere replies as follows: 

Ma Chere Marie…Je vous remercie de votre amable invitation mais je crians de ne pouvant repondre malgre le desire...

[Translation: My Dear Marie…Thank you for your kind invitation but I cry out that I cannot answer despite the desire…]

There is correspondence from Crotet-Releviere’s bankers in Paris confirming a stock transaction. Charles Laurent’s letterhead indicates that he is an Agent de Change or Stockbroker, located in Paris. In this correspondence, the stockbroker indicates that his client is active in the stock market.  A statement of account from her broker shows a credit balance in her account of 80531.75 francs, equal to approximately US$1.1 million today. To put this into perspective, the average daily wage in France at this time was about US$1.00 per day.

The wedding announcements included in the archive invite the recipient to the marriage of the daughter of Monsieur the Viscount and Madam the Viscountess of Maleissye to Monsieur Viscount Alban de Virel, Secretary of Embassy. 

For a social historian, this collection of letters offers an outstanding window into the life a very wealthy woman living in the Second French Republic. The letters are warm and friendly. Yet they also point to her family’s wealth. Taken together, one can see a vivid contrast with the life of an ordinary woman of average means in late 19th century rural France.

This collection consists of 53 letters. Although of various sizes, they are for the most part about 8.25 inches by 5.5 inches and consist of a single page folded in half. Most of the pages are completely filled. The condition of the pages is very good and the handwriting, while tight, is legible.