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Offered here is an original Napoleonic-era manuscript address panel, dated 11 June 1806, formally addressed to M. Desmarest and directed to the Justice of the Peace of the Commune of Neuchâtel. This document dates to the period when Neuchâtel was under French imperial administration, following its 1806 grant by Napoleon to Marshal Berthier.
The manuscript is written in period French cursive on laid paper and represents official judicial or administrative correspondence, likely accompanying or transmitting legal papers to the local court authority.
📄 Transcription (Original French)
M. Desmarest
à Monsieur
le Juge de Paix
de la Commune de Neuchâtel
bien voulu lui communiquer
ce 11 Juin 1806
Lower margin bears later pencil archival annotations, including reference to Neuchâtel and the year 1806, consistent with 19th- or early 20th-century cataloging or filing practices.
🌍 Historical Context
From 1806 to 1814, Neuchâtel occupied a unique position as a French-controlled Swiss principality during the Napoleonic era. Judicial and municipal affairs were conducted under French legal norms, and documents from this period reflect the reach of French administration into Central Europe.
👤 Biography: Nicolas Desmarest (1725–1815)
Nicolas Desmarest was a prominent French naturalist, geologist, and civil administrator, widely regarded as one of the founders of modern geology. He is best known for his pioneering work demonstrating the volcanic origin of basalt, a major breakthrough in earth science.
Desmarest was:
A member of the Académie des Sciences
A contributor to Diderot and d’Alembert’s Encyclopédie
Active in both scientific research and state administration
Frequently referenced in official correspondence during the late 18th and early 19th centuries
The appearance of “M. Desmarest” in formal legal communication during 1806 aligns squarely with his lifetime and status as a respected senior figure in French intellectual and administrative circles.
📐 Physical Description & Condition
Original laid paper, approx. full folio when unfolded
Ink manuscript with clear legibility
Horizontal and vertical folds from original use
Edge wear and small splits along folds, typical of working legal papers
Later pencil archival notations at lower margin
Overall stable and well-preserved for its age
🎯 Collector Interest
This piece will appeal to collectors of:
Napoleonic-era manuscripts
French and Swiss legal history
Early geology and Enlightenment science
Judicial and administrative ephemera
📦 Notes
This is an original 1806 manuscript, not a reproduction
Not an autograph letter by Desmarest, but an official address involving him
Guaranteed authentic and dated as described
