LEBON (André). - Lot 173

LEBON (André). Born in Dieppe, 1858–1938. French politician and financier. Member of the National Assembly for Deux-Sèvres, served as a minister on several occasions, notably as Minister of the Colonies from 1896 to 1898, and later as president of the Crédit Foncier d’Algérie et de Tunisie. Autograph letter signed “André Lebon” to “Dear Sir ” (Mr. Barbet). Paris, January 17, 1911. 1 page, in-8 format, on printed letterhead of the Crédit Foncier d’Algérie et de Tunisie, Office of the President, address: 43 rue Cambon, Paris. A charming autograph letter signed by André Lebon, a prominent figure of the Third Republic, who was both a statesman and a leading financial executive. Held up by an outside commitment, Lebon courteously expresses his regret at being unable to keep an appointment: “It would have been a great regret not to be able to come and hear you speak.” He notes that his wife will be hosting a reception the following Friday and will be delighted to meet the recipient and his companions: “My wife hosts a reception on Fridays; she will be delighted to meet you.” The letter, written in a very sophisticated tone, sheds light on the social life of Paris’s political and financial elites in the early 20th century, blending personal relationships, social obligations, and salon customs. A former Minister of the Colonies, André Lebon went on to establish himself as one of the leading figures of French capitalism during the Belle Époque, heading the Crédit Foncier de France, then the Crédit Foncier d’Algérie et de Tunisie, whose letterhead here provides a valuable piece of context. An elegant piece, of interest for both French political history and economic and colonial history.