RARE 1690’s FRENCH VELLUM MANUSCRIPT BOOKLET 24p BOURGES HEART TAX LOUIS XIV For Sale

ORIGINAL!RARE! 1690’s FRENCH VELLUM MANUSCRIPT BOOKLET 24p BOURGES HEART TAX LOUIS XIV

1690’s FRENCH VELLUM MANUSCRIPT BOOKLET 24p BOURGES HEART TAX LOUIS XIV

Featuring Six Original Woodcut Heart-Shaped 4-Denier Tax Stamps (Généralité de Bourges)

Up for sale/sale is a highly authentic, original late-17th-century French legal manuscript meticulously handwritten on durable vellum. Dating precisely to the 1690s during the absolute rule of King Louis XIV ("The Sun King"), this document provides a remarkable glimpse into the bureaucratic and legal history of the historic Berry region.

Dimensions & Format

• Structure: 24-page self-cover booklet format (composed of nested, unbound vellum sheets, completely intact as originally compiled without a rigid spine).
• Dimensions: Width 7 1/2" x Height 10" (Approx. 19 cm x 25.4 cm).
• Condition of Vellum: Strong, heavy vellum with expected light age-toning, natural texture variations, and minor edge wear. The text remains wonderfully preserved in a dark, crisp, period-correct archival script.

Philatelic & Fiscal Stamp Features

This manuscript is an exceptional piece for fiscal philatelists, featuring six (6) original woodcut tax stamps(papier timbré) struck at the head of six separate pages.

• Stamp Text: 4 DEN GEN. DEBOURGES (4 Deniers tax, issued for the Généralité of Bourges).
• Iconography: A beautiful, highly distinct heart-shaped frame surrounding three traditional French Fleurs-de-lis, topped by a single Royal Crown at the top center.
• Texture: Hand-struck using antique woodcut or hammer-printing methods, leaving a visually striking, rich ink texture on the vellum surface.

Notarial Annotations & Content

The manuscript retains its historical administrative markings, including period registration annotations and clerk hand-signatures near the stamp margins, reading phonetically as "Controllé" (registered/taxed) and signed by the local royal bureau clerk, "Charpentier." The body of the document opens with the traditional full-text dating formula from the 1690's: "L'an de grâce mil six cent quatre-vingt..." An incredible addition to any collection of pre-1800 ephemera, legal history, paleography, or early French fiscal stamps.

Shipping & Handling

The item will be shipped flat, securely layered between rigid archival backing boards, and protected against moisture to ensure safe transit. Fully insured shipping with tracking.

THIS IS NOT A REPRODUCTION OR A COPY.

PLEASE SEE MY 100% POSITIVE response AND BUY WITH CONFIDENCE.