Cosway binding with twin ivory portraits, housing ten Napoleonic documents
Album of ten documents and letters signed.
Folio (ca. 275 × 385 mm). 10 folio documents mounted on tabs, most facing a French transcription; one additional document loosely inserted. Finely bound Cosway binding in richly gilt morocco by Riviere & Son (their stamp to upper board), inner gilt dentelles, richly gilt spine with gilt titles and decorative compartments, gilt monogram "AS" at foot of spine; red silk doublures (small tear to front doublure). Upper board set with two large hand painted portrait miniatures on ivory of Napoleon I and Jean Baptiste Bernadotte by Miss C. B. Currie, protected under glass and inset into the covers.
A distinguished Napoleonic album in a classic Cosway binding by Riviere & Son with two magnificent ivory miniatures by Caroline Billin Currie, assembled to frame ten original documents signed by Napoleon and by Jean Baptiste Bernadotte across pivotal moments of their careers.
The Bernadotte group spans his rise from Marshal of France to Crown Prince/King, including letters to Berthier (Hanover, 13 March 1805), to Porquier (Tarbes, 13 January 1806), to Daru (Florbeck, 6 October 1808), to the conte de Cessac with autograph notes and signature as “Prince et Duc de Ponte Corvo” (Florbeck, 15 February 1810), and as Charles Jean in Stockholm (4 January 1811), likely to the King of Denmark.
The Napoleon group comprises an early partly printed pension document signed “Bonaparte” as First Consul (Paris, quatre messidor an IX), a note from the Eylau campaign (13 February 1807; once considered a possible facsimile by the transcriber), a letter from Fontainebleau (13 October 1807) concerning medals, and two margin signed decisions, one from St Cloud (11 August 1810) and one on a four page ministerial report (7 August 1811). A further four page Berlin document of 21 November 1806 (with seal) accompanies the album.
The contents illustrate administrative and military networks at the height of the Empire while juxtaposing Napoleon’s imperial hand with Bernadotte’s transition to the Scandinavian monarchy. The repeated "Lindesiana" stamps attest to an eminent 19th century provenance, while the presence of contemporary or early transcripts reflects the Crawford librarians’ documentation practices.
Commissioned by Sotheran’s in the early 20th century with miniatures by Currie, Cosway bindings are prized for their virtuoso combination of painting and luxury binding; examples with a Napoleonic subject and multiple autographs are uncommon. A handsome, coherent presentation with clean, tab mounted leaves and period transcriptions makes the album suitable for exhibition and study.
Bibliotheca Lindesiana (Crawford Collection), with oval stamps to most documents. Sold by Henry Sotheran & Co. in the early 20th century per inserted sheet. Gift to Axel Stangenberg (1876-1957) from his cousin Gordon Warburg (Ware), per manuscript note on front endpapers. Thereafter by descent in the family.
Binding fine and richly gilt; small tear to front silk doublure. Documents generally well preserved; expected folds, some browning and spotting to the large First Consul pension and light spotting noted on later folios; Napoleon decision of 1810 with folds; most pieces cleanly mounted on tabs. All with light handling consistent with an album of this period.
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