Description:

THE ATTEMPTED SEIZURE OF ROYAL REAL ESTATE IN PARIS
A fascinating group of documents relating to the seizure of the Palais Royal, houses around it, and several houses in Paris, Chaillot and Versailles owned by French Prince Louis-Philippe. Louis-Philippe (1773-1850) was son of Charles, Duc d'Orleans, executed in 1793 during the Terror. Louis was a distinguished military commander who participated in the French Revolutionary Wars beginning with service at Wallonia, ca. Apr. 28, 1792. His further military successes that year came to an abrupt halt when the Girodin government deprived the French army of supplies, resulting in significant desertion. Louis – although Revolutionary in spirit – was inextricably entwined with the politics of his royal family and became a target with the rest of his family. Choosing exile over execution, he fled France in April 1793, remaining abroad until 1815, when he returned to France during the reign of his cousin Louis XVIII. He was crowned King in Aug. 1830, serving until his death. During the Revolution, land and structures became a central source of conflict in the efforts to clear away traces of the ‘ancien regime' and the seizure and sale of real estate was looked to as a means of funding the Revolution. This lot reflects this fervor and the dogged Revolutionary attempt to seize perhaps the most emblematic structure of the monarchy: the Palais Royale in Paris. Louis-Philippe II of d'Orleans lived in the royal palace, and Louis-Philippe was born there; he succeeded his father as the Head of the House d'Orleans, and thus owner of the Palais, in 1785 upon the latter's death. This lot contains five documents relative to the seizure of Louis-Philippe's real estate in Paris and other areas, beginning with a printed decree from the National Convention, 4pp. 4to., Jan. 9, 1792, ordering the liquidation and payment of debts of Louis-Philippe. Next is a partly-printed D.S. 2pp. 4to., [Paris], Apr. 16, 1792, a ‘Summation to Tenants' made at the request of Nicolas Coulon, Commissioner of Foreclosures ‘…in his capacity established by the regime and government, that the Palais Royale and and buildings relevant to it, including the Lycee [high school], the Varietes [du Palais-Royale], the Montansier Theatre, the garden, and other buildings owned by Louis-Philippe, be seized at the request of his creditor, M. Fain…'; a manuscript D.S. in an unidentified hand, 3pp. 4to., [Paris], Apr. 24, 1792, a fair copy of an interim judgement preventing the Commissioner from proceeding with a judicial lease of the houses in question; a second partly-printed D.S. 1p. 4to., [Paris], April 28, 1792, written in defense of Louis-Phillipe in part: ‘…having acted on [Citizens] Lemaire, Coulon & Chignard…let us…forbid M. Coulon from proceeding with the judicial lease…of the fifteenth of this month…and regarding the Houses, Boutiques and Arcades…the tenants continue to pay rent…'. Signed ‘Chenneviere'; and a manuscript D.S. 3pp. legal folio, [Paris, n.d.], regarding the concerned tenants in Louis' buildings. In very small part: ‘…The proprietors of the Arcades of the Palais Royale, alarmed by the creditors of the Duc d'Orleans have assembled eighteen named as agents caught among [the tenants] as their confessor and defendant…'. The document lists the costs claimed by Chignard, his fees and procedures, adding ‘…this sum will not seem too high to the owners when they remember that the conservation of their properties…depend on the activity, the zeal and the intelligence of [Chignard] who acts in their interests…'. Following this is a list of the 18 agents who hired Chignard, and is signed by ‘Prival'. Five pieces, overall very good condition, and worthy of further research.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

*SEE ADITTIONAL SHIPPING ABOVE* -Shipments are sent via FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Due to complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will ship with USPS Priority Mail only if the buyer submits their request to us in writing and accepts responsibility for delayed shipments. Signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

January 18, 2024 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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

View full terms and conditions

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