Letter and invoice from C. Regnauld... (1864)

NRA-L-000146 / 1864

Letter and invoice from C. Regnauld to Noilly Prat & Cie for hyssop and wormwood from Pontarlier, October 29, 1864

C. Regnauld documents a shipment to Noilly Prat & Cie of four bales of hyssop and two bales of petite absinthe from Pontarlier, invoices 578.40 francs, sends a hyssop sample, offers further lots of hyssop, grand wormwood and petite absinthe, and discusses mixed-origin herbs and speculation over spring scarcity.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000146

NRA-L-000146 image 1 showing a folded blue-paper address panel to Noilly Prat and Company in Marseille, with a postage stamp, multiple postal marks, manuscript docketing, folds and seal evidence. — **Image 1**Address panel and postal evidence.

NRA-L-000146 image 2 showing the first page of a handwritten commercial letter from Pontarlier to Noilly Prat and Company, with dated heading, absinthe quantities and prices, folds and show-through. — **Image 2**Letter text - Page 1.

NRA-L-000146 image 3 showing the continuation of the handwritten commercial letter, with absinthe account calculations, signature, docketing and folds. — **Image 3**Letter text - Page 2, account and signature.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000146
Date: 1864-10-29
Original date: Pontarlier, le 29 Octobre 1864
Type: Invoice
Language: French / fr
Sender: C. Regnauld
Recipient: Noilly Prat & Cie
Places: Pontarlier, France / Marseille, France
Extent: 3 documentary sides: Documentary page 1; Documentary page 2; Documentary page 3; 3 digital images.
Signature: C. Regnauld
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000146.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Documentary page 1

Original transcript

Messieurs
Noilly Prat & Cie
à Marseille

Notes

Postal marks:
PONTARLIER / 30 / OCT / 64 / (25)
MARSEILLE / 1 / NOV. / 64 / (12)
2664
EMPIRE FRANC / 20 C POSTES 20 C

Later annotations:
1864.

Pontarlier 29 Octb

C. Regnauld

R[eçu] 1 Novb.

R[épondu] 5 id

f 578. 40

Achat f. 95

20

Documentary page 1

English translation

Messrs Noilly Prat & Cie
Marseille

Notes

Postal marks:
PONTARLIER / 30 / OCT / 64 / (25)
MARSEILLE / 1 / NOV. / 64 / (12)
2664
EMPIRE FRANC / 20 C POSTES 20 C

Later annotations:
1864.

Pontarlier 29 Octb

C. Regnauld

Received 1 Novb.

Replied 5 id

f 578. 40

Purchase f. 95

20

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Pontarlier, le 29 Octobre 1864.
Messieurs Noilly Prat & Cie, à Marseille.
Ensuite de la lettre que vous m'avez fait
l'honneur de m'écrire le 17 Cour[an]t, je vous ai
expédié, aujourd'hui, au tarif du chemin de fer, la
petite partie hysoppe et petite absinthe que vous
m'avez autorisé d'acheter pour v[otre] Compte. C'est
de la marchandise très bonne, belle et très bien soignée.
La petite absinthe est le bouquet de la plante, fines
tiges très touffues de fines feuilles. Le tout véritable
cru de Pontarlier. Cette partie se compose de
N[umér]o 284 - 4 Balles hysoppe, et de
" 128 - 2 Balles petite absinthe
N[umér]o 382 - 6 C[olis] dont je v[ous] remets d'autrepart
facture s'élevant à
f 578. 40 dont je me couvre sur vous, Messieurs
en mon mandat payable au 30 Novembre
p[rochai]n, auquel veuillez réserver l'accueil accoutumé.
La partie hysoppe 1000 à 1200 K[il]os dont je
vous entretenais, est beaucoup plus belle que je vous
l'annonçais le 15 C[ouran]t. Je l'ai visitée à nouveau et
v[ous] en envoye franco, aujourd'hui, un petit échantillon.
Si elle v[ous] convenait, sur v[otre] réponse je vous
la dirigerais, sauf invendue, d'ici là, par le
détenteur.
J'aurais sous la main aussi environ 2000 K[il]os
grande absinthe à f 40.. % K[il]os, 1100 K[il]os hysoppe
à f 130.. et 300 K[il]os petite absinthe à f 180.. le tout de
Pontarlier, 1er Cru, puisque c'est un nouveau
cultivateur de l'année.

Documentary page 2

English translation

Pontarlier, 29 October 1864

Messrs Noilly Prat & Cie, Marseille

Further to the letter you did me the honour of writing on the 17th instant, today I sent you by rail the small lot of hyssop and petite absinthe that you authorised me to purchase on your account. The merchandise is very good, handsome and very carefully prepared. The petite absinthe consists of the flowering tops of the plant, with fine stems very thickly covered in small leaves. It is all genuine Pontarlier growth.

This lot consists of no. 284, four bales of hyssop, and no. 128, two bales of petite absinthe: no. 382, six packages. I send you the invoice overleaf, amounting to 578.40 francs, for which I shall draw on you by a draft payable November 30 next; please give it the customary favourable reception.

The lot of 1,000 to 1,200 kilograms of hyssop about which I wrote to you is much finer than I described it on the 15th instant. I inspected it again and today I am sending you a small sample carriage paid. If it suits you, I shall forward it upon receiving your reply, unless the holder sells it in the meantime.

I would also have available about 2,000 kilograms of grande absinthe at 40 francs per 100 kilograms, 1,100 kilograms of hyssop at 130 francs, and 300 kilograms of petite absinthe at 180 francs. It is all from Pontarlier, first growth, from a new grower this year.

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

Vous me dites que vous ne payez pas
les prix que je vous ai établis, alors je doute
que vous receviez des mélanges d'herbages de
différents pays, car ici, tous les gros cultivateurs
achètent un peu de toute part, quelques uns
même accaparent de tous les petits cultivateurs,
tous comptant sur une jolie spéculation,
prétendant qu'il n'y aura plus de marchandise
au printemps.
En attendant de vos bonnes nouvelles au
sujet de l'échantillon que je vous envoye,
je vous présente, Messieurs, mes cordiales
salutations.
C. Regnauld

Doivent..... M. M. Noilly Prat & Cie
Les marchandises à eux expédiées, ce jour,
Valeur au 30 Novembre
Du 29 Octobre 1864
H 1 K[il]os 74 } 4 Balles hysoppe 1864 de Pontarlier
  2  "  69 } P[oids] brut 254
  3  "  44 } tare 4
  4  "  67 } net K[il]os 250 à f 130 % . . . . . f 325. "
A 5  " 115 }
  6  "  13 } 2 Balles petite absinthe (bouquets)
             brut K[il]os 128
             tare  "      3
             Net K[il]os 125 à f 180 % . . f 225. "
             5 emballages à 2.75 . . . . . . "  13.75
             Charge 1/2 p. % . . . . . . . . . "   2.90
             timbre du mandat . . . . . . . "   . 50
             Commis[si]on 2 f. % . . . . . . . "  11.25
N[umér]o 382                           # f 578.40

Documentary page 3

English translation

You tell me that you do not pay the prices I quoted you; I therefore suspect that you may be receiving mixtures of herbs from different regions, because here all the large growers buy a little from everywhere, and some even buy up the entire output of all the small growers. They are all counting on a handsome speculation and claim that no merchandise will remain in the spring.

Awaiting your good news concerning the sample I am sending you, I offer you, Gentlemen, my cordial greetings.
C. Regnauld

Messrs Noilly Prat & Cie owe for the merchandise dispatched to them this day, value November 30, dated October 29, 1864:

Four bales of 1864 Pontarlier hyssop:
H 1, 74 kg; H 2, 69 kg; H 3, 44 kg; H 4, 67 kg.
Gross weight 254 kg; tare 4 kg; net 250 kg at 130 francs per 100 kg: 325.00 francs.

Two bales of petite absinthe (flowering tops):
A 5, 115 kg; A 6, 13 kg.
Gross weight 128 kg; tare 3 kg; net 125 kg at 180 francs per 100 kg: 225.00 francs.

Five packages at 2.75 francs: 13.75 francs.
Charge of one-half per cent: 2.90 francs.
Draft stamp: 0.50 francs.
Commission of 2 per cent: 11.25 francs.
Invoice no. 382 — total: 578.40 francs.

Discovery Terms

Hyssop
Grand wormwood
Petite absinthe
Absinthe ingredients
Botanical raw materials
Invoices
Samples
Prices
Speculation
C. Regnauld
Noilly Prat & Cie
Pontarlier
Marseille

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