1869 French Tea Invoice & Letter – J. Zacherl & Cie, Paris

Original French ephemera: a commercial tea invoice and accompanying business letter dated January 1869, issued by J. Zacherl & Cie, tea merchants at 102 Boulevard de Sébastopol in Paris.

The document is presented as a folded booklet, combining an invoice with commercial correspondence in a single original piece.

The highly decorative printed letterhead advertises “Thés de Chine et du Japon – Provenance directe” under the trade name “Au Persan”. It features exhibition medals, a central illustrated figure and references to the company’s houses in London, Vienna, Tiflis and Constantinople, reflecting the international nature of the nineteenth-century tea trade.

The invoice, dated 15 January 1869, is addressed to a customer in Marseille and records purchases including green tea and Souchong tea.

The accompanying letter, dated 16 January 1869, refers to the goods being sent, the corresponding invoice and arrangements for payment. It is written on matching J. Zacherl & Cie letterhead and signed on behalf of the firm.

A particularly attractive example of nineteenth-century French commercial ephemera, combining tea history, international trade, decorative typography and handwritten business correspondence.

Details

• Origin: France
• Invoice date: 15 January 1869
• Letter date: 16 January 1869
• Business: J. Zacherl & Cie
• Trade name: Au Persan
• Address: 102 Boulevard de Sébastopol, Paris
• Destination: Marseille, France
• Type: Commercial invoice and business correspondence
• Industry: Tea trade / food and beverage
• Products mentioned: Green tea and Souchong tea
• Language: French
• Folded booklet format
• Decorative illustrated letterhead
• Exhibition medal imagery
• International trading-house references
• Handwritten commercial correspondence
• Original antique document, not a reproduction or digital download

Dimensions

• Open: approx. 27.5 × 42 cm
  Folded / closed: approx. 27.5 × 21 cm

Condition

Authentic nineteenth-century paper with age-related toning, scattered foxing, staining and handling marks consistent with its age and use.

The document shows pronounced original fold lines and general surface wear. Several small holes and perforations are visible along and near the folds, together with minor edge wear and small losses in places.

Some ink and printed elements show through the thin paper from the reverse, as expected with a period document of this type.

Despite these signs of age and use, the decorative printed letterheads, handwritten correspondence and invoice entries remain clearly visible overall.

Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.

You will receive the exact original folded invoice and business letter shown in the photographs.

Frame and decorative accessories are not included.