Bidspirit auction | Document Collection of French Princess

Document Collection of French Princess Alina D'Eldir (Daughter of Josephine & Step-Daughter of Napoleon) - Listed as one of the world's most important books / documents, this 19th Century Collection of Important Hand-written Documents were removed from the Pieces Diverses concernant S.A.I. La Princesse D'Eldir et L'Ordre Asiatique de Morale Universelle (Various Pieces concerning S.A.I. Princess Eldir and the Asian Order of Universal Morals); also referred to as the Mathieu-Guillaume-Thérèse Villenave’s Collection on Alina d’Eldir (Princton University Rare Books; Special Collections) | The Collection consists of Eighteen (18) or more handwritten and signed letters / documents from the personal documents / correspondence of Empress Josephine's daughter, the Princess Alina d'Eldir (c.1780-1851)(later title Indian princess Alina d’Eldir Mercier). The collection includes several royal seals and blind stamps, including a very rare French Royal 24kt Gold Seal. 1) Signed by Thomas DuBois and with a wax seal. Measures 9 by 12 inches. 2) 1839 ALS, Abel-François Villemain, French politician and writer. 3) Handwritten Signed Letter to Princess dated 1841, from A. Mancel Duvaldouer, prominently listed in numerous Bulletin des lois de la République française, Imprimerie nationale, c. 1845. 4) Princess Alina D' Eldir was of Royal Indian descent and the adopted daughter of Empress Josephine and step-daughter to Napoleon Bonaparte. The original scrapbook-like bound volume, compiled in 1896, was an important collection of documents relating to the beautiful and mysterious Princess D'Eldir and the Imperial Asiatic Order (Founded by Princess D'Eldir, the Grand Mistress H.I.H. Princess Alina D'Eldir). The collection is listed among the world's most important books. D'Eldir is the topic of the book ”The Strange Story of an Indian Princess” and author of Méditations en Prose, par une Dame Indienne (1828), which was described as “le premier ouvrage qui était composé en français, et publié à Paris, par une princesse de l’Hindoustan.” The Princess founded the enigmatic Ordre Asiatique de Morale Universelle, a religious organization. Provenance: Deaccession from Princeton University Museum, Special Collections (Portions of the collection were retained by the Princeton University Library Rare Books & Special Collections). The documents were originally collected by a friend of the Princess, Mathieu-Guillaume-Thérèse Villenave (1762-1846). Villenave was involved in the Ordre Asiatique de Morale Universelle, and edited a book about magnetism and Alina d’Eldir (La vérité du magnétisme, prouvée par les faits, 1829). Subsequently, the collection was purportedly owned by the Léon Féer (1830-1902) the prominent French linguist, and then either owned by or sold by Hans Fellner (1925-1996), prominent antiquarian, collector and bookseller. Then sold to Princeton University Special Collections Museum. These documents were specially selected documents sold to Worthington in 2015-16. Medium: Documents are hand-written in ink on various supports including fine vellum, laid paper, and woven paper. Literature: Article, ”The Strange Story of an Indian Princess” Chambers Journal of Popular Literature, Science and Arts, 1894, p. 29-31. Exhibited: The remaining portions of the Mathieu-Guillaume-Thérèse Villenave’s Collection on Alina d’Eldir, circa 1829f is owned by Princeton University Library & Museum's Rare Books & Special Collections Department. Notes: Alina d’Eldir (‘al-Durr’) was of Royal birth in India, and had the title of ”Sultana, ” a title of nobility granted to the wife or daughter of a sultan. The equivalent term in English is ”Princess.” The Princess was taken from India to France as a child before the French Revolution, and was received at the royal court by the Princesse de Lamballes. The circumstances surrounding her removal from India is shrouded in mystery. In France, she was educated at a convent where she became a Christian (Catholic). She eventually attracted the notice of Napoleon and Josephine around the time of the expedition to Egypt. In 1818 she was visited by the Indian envoy, ‘Goolam Mouchi-oud-Din’, who informed d'Eldir of her noble lineage and sought to bring her back to India, but she refused. There is evidence in the collection that a possible second mission occurred two years later, when an Indian nobleman is known to have visited London but was prevented from continuing to see the Princess in France. Princess d'Eldir was adopted by Josephine, and became the step-daughter of Napoleon. Later, she was given in marriage to French army officer Charles Mercier In 1828 she published a book of Méditations, edited by the Marquis de Fortia d’Urban. She also worked as a practitioner of magnetic therapy, her notes on the subject appearing as La Verité du Magnétisme in 1829. The princess later founded the ‘Ordre Asiatique de morale universelle’. Condition: In very good to excellent condition.