CAMBON (Jules) - Lot 59

CAMBON (Jules) Born in Paris, 1845—died in 1935. Administrator and diplomat, French ambassador to Washington and later to Berlin, a key figure in French diplomacy in the late 19th century. Autograph letter signed “Jules Cambon,” addressed to “my dear Doctor” [Dr. Cazalis]. Paris, November 16, 1901. 2 pages, in-8 format. A calling card is enclosed. An interesting letter in which Cambon, then ambassador to Washington, mentions the rediscovery of lost documents that might be of interest to his correspondent: “I am leaving for New York, and while organizing my papers, I came across these that had gone missing…” He returns to him a previously sent note, “duly apostilled,” demonstrating his careful attention to personal and administrative matters. The letter concludes on a more personal and warm note, with Cambon expressing his hopes for the future: “Allow me to hope that when we meet again, we will have more reasons to be cheerful than this time… and to extend to you in advance my best wishes for the New Year… ”. This document elegantly blends practical matters with friendly sentiments, illustrating the bonds maintained by diplomats with their correspondents and the epistolary customs of the Belle Époque. It is worth noting that Jules Cambon was appointed French ambassador to Washington in 1897, where he played a decisive role in the peace negotiations between Spain and the United States, participating in the drafting of the Treaty of Paris in 1898.