Letters, Napoleon Bonaparte III
Maker
Bonaparte III, Louis-Napoleon
Woodhouse, Alice
Ball, William Goodwin
Production date
1840s
1850s
1954
1940
Current rights
Public Domain
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Object detail
A collection of 11 letters written in French from Napoleon III to a friend named Wikoff who worked for President Lincoln and his wife. Some of the letters ask for information about the President's activities. There is also an undated memo that includes biographical information on Wikoff taken from a 1959 book.
Most of the letters still have their original envelopes. This collection also includes handwritten transcriptions, done in the 1940s, of most of the letters, though there are two transcriptions that do not have matching letters. Most envelopes still have Napoleon's wax seal, and string holding them together. There is also a large envelope that contained all of the smaller notes, and a card with a typed transcription of one of the letters.
Example letters: One, written in 1845, is from the fortress of Ham, where he was imprisoned for conspiring against the French Government of the day. Another is a short note written in Paris in 1851 on the eve of his successful seizure of power, which resulted in his becoming Emperor of the French at the end of the following day.
There are also two notes about the letters. One dated 18 Oct 1940, to and from the French Club from the Hawke's Bay Art Gallery and Museum, about transcribing the letters. The other is dated 1954 by A Woodhouse and explains the lack of provenance of the letters.
1850s
1954
1940
Envelope
Envelope
Memorandum
Transcript
Manuscript
Documentary Artifact
Documentary Artifact
Written Communication T&E
Documentary Artifact
Documentary Artifact
Documentary Artifact
Communication Artifacts
Communication Artifacts
T&E For Communication
Communication Artifacts
Communication Artifacts
Communication Artifacts
1850s
1940
1954
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