1898 French Ceramic Trade Invoice – Louis Perron, Marseille

Original French ephemera: a commercial ceramic trade invoice dated 7 May 1898, issued by Louis Perron, a Marseille commission and export business specialising in ceramic products, sanitary ware and architectural materials.

The document features an exceptionally decorative red, green and black printed letterhead, headed “Aux Fabriques de Produits Céramiques – Commission & Exportation – Louis Perron”, with the business address at 5 Cours Lieutaud, Marseille.

The elaborate printed side panel advertises a wide range of late nineteenth-century building and ceramic products, including sanitary appliances, architectural tiles, glazed tiles, ceramic flooring, bricks, Salernes terracotta tiles and cement mosaic tiles.

The handwritten invoice records various supplied items connected with plumbing and sanitary installations. Visible entries include stoneware pipes, fittings, a sanitary bowl, a flushing cistern and a walnut seat, together with quantities and prices entered in the accounting columns.

The document is addressed to a customer at the Palais de la Bourse in Marseille and bears handwritten commercial annotations and a signature.

An original French fiscal / receipt stamp remains attached near the lower part of the invoice, with handwritten cancellation markings.

The reverse shows the natural transparency of the period paper, with the decorative printing and handwritten entries visible through the sheet, together with additional handwritten annotations.

A striking example of late nineteenth-century French commercial ephemera, combining ceramic manufacture, architecture, sanitary equipment, building trades and elaborate period graphic design.

Details

• Origin: France
• Date: 7 May 1898
• Business: Louis Perron
• Activity: Commission & exportation
• Location: Marseille, France
• Address: 5 Cours Lieutaud
• Type: Commercial invoice
• Industry: Ceramics, sanitary ware and building materials
• Language: French
• Decorative polychrome printed letterhead
• Red, green and black ornamental design
• Ceramic and architectural products advertised
• Handwritten commercial entries
• Sanitary and plumbing-related goods listed
• Original fiscal / receipt stamp with cancellation
• Handwritten annotations on reverse
• Original antique document, not a reproduction or digital download

Dimensions

• Approx. 28 × 21.5 cm
  (height × width)

Condition

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

The sheet shows light handling wear and minor creasing. A small perforation / loss is visible near the upper left corner, together with slight edge and corner wear.

The paper is relatively thin, allowing portions of the printed decoration and handwriting from the opposite side to show through naturally.

The richly coloured printed letterhead, handwritten entries and fiscal stamp 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 invoice shown in the photographs.

Frame and decorative accessories are not included.