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a letter written in black ink on a piece of paper
Ader

519 - Joseph PONIATOWSKI (1763–1813), Polish prince, Marshal of th…
See original version (French)

Estimate €1,000 - €1,200
Sale commission
Description
Joseph PONIATOWSKI (1763–1813), Polish prince, Marshal of the Empire. Autograph letter signed ‘JP.’, to a ‘dear friend’ (his sister?); one and a quarter pages, quarto, written in small handwriting. A rare letter concerning the purchase of land and the investment of his capital. ‘If we cannot manage to invest our capital in the purchase of land – at par value – I see no way of compensating us for the actual losses we are suffering. As for me, I do not understand the proposal that Mr Joel is making to me through you to sell or lend our bonds at a 10 per cent loss, that is to say, at a loss of only 15 per cent; which would mean that we would gain – or rather, that I would gain on my share, as it seems to me, 10,000 livres and more, that is to say 55,000 florins in banknotes or 72,333½ florins in bonds, or that this would be owed to me by my debtor’. However, he believes that the only way to make up for their losses is to invest the money ‘in the purchase of the Radlow estate for 100,000 livres’; he sets out the terms and the figures for this transaction, taking into account the various rates of the ducats, and adding the costs. ‘If, therefore, the purchase of the land were unfortunately to fall through and could not be concluded on the terms mentioned above – which, it seems to me, is the only way I can be compensated for the great loss I am suffering – it will be up to you, my dear friend, to decide what we ought to pay out for the settlement alone, in secret expenses and remuneration for the negotiator’. He sends her the ‘Cossack’, carrying all the original documents—a list of which he provides—and some money for her mother, and he adds in a postscript that she may keep the Cossack, who ‘has been paid for two months’...
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale Letters and Autograph Manuscripts – Part II
Auction location
Auction time 10/14/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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