COUTIL (Léon Marie) - Lot 53

Lot 53
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100 - 120 EUR
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COUTIL (Léon Marie) - Lot 53
COUTIL (Léon Marie) Villiers-en-Vexin, 1856 - 1935. Engraver, archaeologist, Norman scholar and corresponding member of the Académie de Rouen. L.A.S. to a colleague, Saint-Pierre-du-Vauvray (Eure), July 3, 1912, 2 pp. in-8, black ink on laid paper. Very interesting autograph letter signed by Léon Coutil, devoted to the history of aeronautics and scholarly research on Jean-Pierre Blanchard, an aerostation pioneer born in Les Andelys. Coutil indicates that he has read a notice on "Dom Gourdin et les Aérostats" published in the Recueil de l'Académie de Rouen, and courteously requests that a reprint be sent to him to enrich his personal documentation: "which would complete my documents on Blanchard, born in Andelys, my native land". The letter is particularly lively. The author recalls the events he himself organized in Andelys around Blanchard, in particular : a commemorative exhibition a plaque on the house where he was born the erection of a monument with this tasty critical note: "a monument (failed! thanks to the local architect)". The tone then becomes more personal, with Coutil humorously confessing his bibliophile passion: "a sweet little collector's mania". On the reverse, he mentions his research into Thomas Corneille, his brother Pierre, and local figures from Andelys. Very fine testimony to the constitution of scholarly documentation in the provinces at the beginning of the XXᵉ century, blending historical erudition, local memory and a taste for collecting. Very good overall condition. Very legible and elegant writing.
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