Antique Framed 1727 French Legal Manuscript: A Notarized Financial Bond

This elegant piece of history is an original French legal manuscript dated April 24, 1727, written during the early reign of King Louis XV. The document serves as a formal "Obligation"—a binding financial contract in which the parties agreed to be "solidairement" (jointly) liable for a specific debt or duty. Penned in a fluid, confident 18th-century cursive script, the text remains legible, offering a fascinating glimpse into the financial dealings of the era. The manuscript is written on high-quality, handmade laid paper, featuring beautiful deckled edges and the distinct texture characteristic of pre-industrial papermaking.

The document is preserved in a contemporary floating frame with a brass-toned metal stand. The double-glass design allows light to pass through the antique paper, highlighting the "chain lines" of the laid paper mold and the organic quality of the sheet. The back of the document, visible through the glass, shows the natural fold lines where the contract was stored for nearly three centuries. The frame is designed to be easily opened, allowing the buyer to remove the document for closer inspection or conservation. This is a refined and authentic decorative piece, perfect for adding a touch of 18th-century European history to a bookshelf, desk, or curiosity cabinet.

Measurements (approximate - rounded to the nearest quarter inch);
14.5 inches in height
11 inches in width
3 inches in depth

All sales are final so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions prior to purchase. Other objects found in the listing photos are for decorative use only and not included in this purchase.

VINTAGE & ANTIQUE
Vintage and antique items are pre-owned and aged goods. In most cases, we do not clean or polish any items that come into our shop. Once you remove an item's traces of age and patina it's not something you can reverse, so we leave those activities up to the buyer. We do not disassemble found art from their frames unless it is necessary to differentiate a print from an original piece of art. Vintage prints purchased from this shop could originate from any print media (e.g., magazines, books, photographs, art prints, etc.). We try our best to describe items accurately and disclose any and all flaws and imperfections. Please refer to pictures as a visual description. We want to make sure you are happy with your purchase so, please do not hesitate to ask any questions you may have prior to checkout.

SHIPPING
As much as possible, we utilize recycled shipping boxes. The box you receive your item in may show signs of wear and pre-use.

PHOTOGRAPHY
All photos are taken in natural light and we do not use any photo filters and do not perform and photo editing (other than basic photo cropping). Depending on your monitor settings, there may be subtle differences in color once you see your item in person.