Lot 273
Early 1700s Letter of Passage From New France To Pennsylvania. Letter Signed "Vaudreuil" by the Governor of New France (Canada, Acadia, and Louisiana), Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil, 1½pp, in French, 11x7¼" (Québec City), no date (c. 1703-25). Fair; there is significant browning and paper loss, but a fascinating story emerges from the document. The governor sets out restrictions for a visit by three Frenchmen, two of whom are Etienne and Claude Bizallon, to visit their uncle, the Indian trader Peter Besallion, in Pennsylvania. They are forbidden to take beaver or other skins with them and to bring any foreign merchandise on their return, which must be by the following September. They may take 100 pounds of deerskins to cover their expenses and they are told the exact passage to take--Fort Chambly and Lake Champlain are mentioned. The letter reflects the struggle between France and England to control the fur trade.
Estimated Value $400 - 600.
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| Realized $604 |
