Postcard from Constant Meyer to... (1905)

NRA-L-000167 / 1905

Postcard from Constant Meyer to Pernod Fils asking about barrel shipment and separate bottling supplies, March 19, 1905

Fine-grocer Constant Meyer asks whether Pernod Fils can ship absinthe in a barrel while supplying bottles, packaging and corks separately to reduce prohibitive customs duties; he assures the firm that his established business would not dilute the product.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000167

NRA-L-000167 image 1 showing a German postcard addressed to Monsieur Pernod fils, distillers in Pontarlier, with a postage stamp, several postmarks and a Mulhouse sender cachet. — **Image 1**Address panel and postal evidence.

NRA-L-000167 image 2 showing a vertically written French message dated 19 March 1905 concerning absinthe, with a signature and marginal writing. — **Image 2**Postcard message and signature.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000167
Date: 1905-03-19
Type: Commercial correspondence
Language: French / fr / German / de
Sender: Constant Meyer
Recipient: Pernod Fils
Places: Mulhouse, France / Pontarlier, France
Extent: 2 documentary sides: Address panel and postal evidence; Message text; 2 digital images.
Signature: Constant Meyer
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000167.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Maison Pernod fils
Distillerie
Pontarlier

Address panel

English translation

Maison Pernod fils
Distillery
Pontarlier

Message text

Original transcript

Maison Pernod fils
Pontarlier

Par la présente je tenais
à vous demander, si vous
vendiez l'Absinthe en fût
en livrant les blles & l'habil-
lage & bouchons séparés.
Je vous demande ce renseig-
nement puisque les droits
de douane sont inabordables
et si vous seriez consentant
au genre d'expédition ci-
dessus il y aurait moyen de
placer votre article, qui se de-
mande assez fréquemment.
Pour la mise en bouteille vous
pourriez être tranquille, vu qu'é-
tant la plus ancienne affaire de
la place, nous nous respecterions trop
pour allonger ces articles, chose qui se fait
souvent.
Salutations
Constant Meyer

Message text

English translation

Maison Pernod fils
Pontarlier

I should like to ask whether you sell absinthe in barrels while supplying the bottles, packaging and corks separately. I ask because the customs duties are prohibitive; if you would agree to the form of shipment described above, there would be a way to sell your product, for which there is fairly frequent demand.

You may be at ease about the bottling: as the oldest firm in the locality, we would have too much self-respect to dilute the product, as is often done.

Greetings,
Constant Meyer

Discovery Terms

Absinthe
Barrels
Bottling
Packaging
Corks
Customs duties
Product adulteration
Constant Meyer
Pernod Fils
Mulhouse
Pontarlier

Transcriptions and English translations are provided as working scholarly aids, not as replacements for the images of the original documents. Some readings may remain uncertain, especially where handwriting, spelling, damage, abbreviations, names or places are difficult.

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