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MANUSCRIPT LETTER TO NAPOLEON FROM A TEENAGE FAN FROM HIS OWN HOMETOWN SEEKING TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

MANUSCRIPT LETTER TO NAPOLEON FROM A TEENAGE FAN FROM HIS OWN HOMETOWN SEEKING TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

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MANUSCRIPT LETTER TO NAPOLEON FROM A TEENAGE FAN FROM HIS OWN HOMETOWN SEEKING TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

by [NAPOLEON BONAPARTE]; ROBAGLIA, Dominique Joseph:

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Condition
See description
Seller
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
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About This Item

[Original manuscript], [c.1805]. Original ink manuscript letter. 30 x 22.2cm. The paper watermarked with a French imperial eagle and the name of the papermaker "Poviata". Small ink stamp "Bibliotheca Lindesiana" to the lower-right corner, indicating that the letter was once part of the great library formed by the Lindsay family, Earls of Crawford and Balcarres. Condition is very good with a couple of minor chips to the blank lower margin, two light diagonal creases to the top-right corner, and an old linen mount to the left-hand margin where the letter was once inserted into an album. An unusual and evocative letter in which the young Dominique Joseph Robaglia, aged just sixteen and a half, from Napoleon's own birthplace of Ajaccio, Corsica, asks the emperor to admit him to the school of Artillery (presumably at the École Militaire in Paris, where Napoleon had himself trained to become an artillery officer as a young man).

Addressed "Sire", the letter states: "Robaglia (Dominique Joseph) aged sixteen and half years, native of Ajaccio has the honour of exhibiting to you very respectfully that having known courses in humanities, arithmetic and algebra has just finished his geometry class. Having always had a penchant for the military and desiring to exercise the little talent he may have in the service of your Majesty, beg him to be willing to admit him to the number of students of the Artillery. He will be faithful and so will make worthy of the tales of his Majesty. I have the honour to be, Sire, with the very profound sentiments of respect to your Majesty, the very humble, obedient and faithful subject, D. J. Robaglia".

As indicated by an old ownership stamp, the letter at one time formed part of the Lindsay Library, once considered amongst the greatest libraries in Britain, containing an important collection of letters and documents relating to the royal families and crowned heads of Europe, prior to its dispersal in the early twentieth century.

A charming piece of Napoleana.

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Details

Bookseller
Sky Duthie Rare Books GB (GB)
Bookseller's Inventory #
1047
Title
MANUSCRIPT LETTER TO NAPOLEON FROM A TEENAGE FAN FROM HIS OWN HOMETOWN SEEKING TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS
Author
[NAPOLEON BONAPARTE]; ROBAGLIA, Dominique Joseph:
Book Condition
Used
Publisher
[Original manuscript]
Date Published
[c.1805]
Keywords
History & Military|Manuscripts

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About the Seller

Sky Duthie Rare Books

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2022
Sheffield, South Yorkshire

About Sky Duthie Rare Books

We carry a wide-ranging stock of fine and rare books, unique manuscripts, original artwork, photographs and ephemera. Placing a strong emphasis on the unusual and the visually stimulating, our areas of focus include travel and exploration; natural history; science and medicine; art and design; history; politics, philosophy and economics; literature and poetry; and children's and illustrated books.

Following a period in academia focusing on the history of ideas and after several years working for a prominent rare bookseller, the business was established in 2022 by Dr Sky Duthie.

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