Letter from Aug. to Frédéric Duval... (1833)

NRA-L-000147 / 1833

Letter from Aug. to Frédéric Duval concerning sales accounts and the Italian lace trade, April 5, 1833

Aug. writes to Frédéric Duval about Décoppet's sales account, a remittance through André and Lottier, a planned payment to Pernod, slow sales and unsuitable blonde-lace designs for Italy, and adds a postscript concerning Swiss cotton for Scipion Dubied.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000147

NRA-L-000147 image 1 showing a heavily folded address panel to Frédéric Duval in Couvet, with a circular postmark, manuscript instructions, receiver docketing, wax remnants and several physical paper losses. — **Image 1**Address panel and postal evidence.

NRA-L-000147 image 2 showing a densely written handwritten letter to Duval, with dated heading, signature, folds, seal evidence and multiple physical paper losses. — **Image 2**Letter text and signature.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000147
Date: 1833-04-05
Original date: Belair, Vendredi matin
Type: Commercial correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: Aug.
Recipient: Frédéric Duval
Places: Belair, Switzerland / Couvet, Switzerland
Extent: 2 documentary sides: Documentary page 1; Documentary page 2; 2 digital images.
Signature: Aug.
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000147.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Documentary page 1

Original transcript

Monsieur Frédéric Duval
Couvet
Canton Neuchâtel

Notes

Postal marks:
YVERDON / 5 / AVRIL / 1833

Later annotations:
Tu auras reçu le groupe de Laug. de f 4,600. Ils m'ont avisé cet envoi en date du 31 Mars. Il m'est inutile de faire venir les f 2000 qui restent à leur […] pour la valeur de l[…] dans lequel ils sont, & les poser à Paris si cela m'en […].

Documentary page 1

English translation

Mr Frédéric Duval
Couvet
Canton of Neuchâtel

Notes

Postal marks:
YVERDON / 5 / AVRIL / 1833

Later annotations:
You will have received the group from Laug., amounting to 4,600 francs. They notified me of this shipment in a letter dated March 31. It is unnecessary for me to bring in the 2,000 francs that remain at their […] for the value of the […] in which they are, and to place them in Paris if that […].

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Belair, Vendredi matin

Mon bon Duval,

De retour de Genève d'hier après midi, je suis surpris de ne point avoir
trouvé de tes lettres à mon arrivée. Comment avez-vous envoyé la facture à
Décoppet ?

Nous avons passé un bien mauvais moment pour notre compte à Genève ; nous avons
eu un temps déplorable, & ce qui est beaucoup plus fâcheux, nous avons laissé
Auguste au lit, retenu par une indisposition qui, je l'espère, ne sera que passagère,
& le médecin le dit ainsi ; mais néanmoins nous avons été bien trompés dans
l'attente du plaisir que nous nous promettions de cette visite.

Voici un Cte de vente de Décoppet de f 843.07 dont tu le débiteras, &
tu le créditeras par contre de f 600, sa remise sur André et Lottier à Paris
au 8 Juin pr., que j'enverrai à Pernod (inclus la copie, tu m'indiqueras l[…]),
ou plutôt je la porterai à Couvet à ma pr. course qui sera prochaine. Je
regrette que Décoppet n'ait pas écrit quelques jours plus tôt ; on ne lui aurait pas fait
une si mauvaise dentelle. J'attends la facture du dit envoi par retour du courrier ;
je lui écrirai à Livourne. Je ne manquerai pas de lui dire que je ne changerai
rien à mes conditions pour le [Duverne], & que nous ne lui ferons point
d'expédition avant d'avoir reçu de nouveau un bon Cte de vente. Ses ventes
vont doucement, il faut aller de même ; je lui ferai aussi observer qu'il est
surprenant que nous n'ayons pas encore la facture des 2 b. p.s anciennes, en
armoire, de la majeure partie qui est placée depuis un an, à peu près.

Il paraît qu'en général nos dessins blondes sont trop légers pour l'Italie ; il
faut du surchargé, du très apparent pour cette contrée, surtout dans les grandes
largeurs ; il conviendra au premier moment d'établir du nouveau.

Je ne t'envoie pas la lettre de Décoppet, je la porterai.
Bonjour à la bâtie, & bonne santé à tous.
Aug.

Si Scipion Dubied voulait un coton suisse à £39, 2e qté,
tu pourrais le céder à ce prix.

Documentary page 2

English translation

Belair, Friday morning

My dear Duval,

Having returned from Geneva yesterday afternoon, I am surprised not to have found any letters from you upon my arrival. How did you send the invoice to Décoppet?

We had a very unpleasant time on our own account in Geneva. The weather was dreadful and, what is much more distressing, we left Auguste confined to bed by an indisposition which I hope will be only temporary; the doctor says so as well. Nevertheless, we were greatly disappointed in the pleasure we had expected from this visit.

Here is a sales account from Décoppet for 843.07 francs, with which you will debit him; conversely, you will credit him with 600 francs for his remittance drawn on André and Lottier in Paris, due June 8 next, which I shall send to Pernod (copy enclosed; you will indicate the […] to me), or rather I shall take it to Couvet on my next trip, which will be soon.

I regret that Décoppet did not write a few days earlier; such poor lace would not have been made for him. I await the invoice for the said shipment by return mail and shall write to him in Livorno. I shall be sure to tell him that I shall not alter my terms for [Duverne], and that we shall make no shipment to him until we have again received a satisfactory sales account. His sales are proceeding slowly, so we must proceed likewise. I shall also point out that it is surprising that we still do not have the invoice for the two old [abbreviated description], most of which has been placed for approximately a year.

It appears that our blonde-lace patterns are generally too light for Italy; that market requires heavily worked, very conspicuous designs, especially in the wider sizes. We should create something new at the first opportunity.

I am not sending you Décoppet's letter; I shall bring it.
Greetings to everyone at the bâtie, and good health to all.
Aug.

If Scipion Dubied wanted Swiss cotton at £39, second quality, you could let him have it at that price.

Discovery Terms

Lace trade
Textile trade
Sales accounts
Bills of exchange
Italian trade
Frédéric Duval
Décoppet
André and Lottier
Pernod
Scipion Dubied
Geneva
Livorno
Couvet
Italy

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