1902 French Bill of Exchange – Émile Perrot, Bellegarde

Original French bill of exchange dated 12 September 1902, issued in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, Ain, by Émile Perrot, a specialist supplier of industrial belting, leather goods and mechanical transmission equipment.

This attractive early 20th-century commercial document features an elaborate illustrated letterhead listing the firm's establishments in Bellegarde, Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon, Saint-Étienne and Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Émile Perrot advertised products connected with tanning, leatherworking, mechanical belting and industrial transmission, including belts and specialised materials for industry and agriculture.

Completed by hand, the bill records an amount of 34.05 francs and was addressed to Monsieur Salvat, a hardware merchant in Seyne, Basses-Alpes.

Numerous original banking and commercial markings remain visible across the document, including stamps associated with Rive & Cie, Bourg, the Comptoir National d'Escompte de Paris, and other period processing marks. An original 5-centime French fiscal stamp remains attached at the right-hand side.

The reverse preserves additional endorsements, payment instructions, signatures and banking stamps, documenting the successive circulation and processing of the bill through the French commercial banking system.

The combination of decorative commercial typography, handwritten entries, multi-city company letterhead and layered banking markings gives this document particularly strong visual and historical character.

A fascinating piece of French industrial ephemera and banking history, ideal for collectors of antique commercial paper, trade history, financial documents and early 20th-century French ephemera.

Details

Origin: Bellegarde, Ain, France
Date: 12 September 1902
Company: Émile Perrot
Document: Original bill of exchange / commercial draft
Amount: 34.05 francs
Recipient: Monsieur Salvat, hardware merchant, Seyne, Basses-Alpes
Features: Multi-city commercial letterhead, handwritten entries, bank stamps, endorsements and fiscal stamp
Language: French
Period: Early 20th century
Dimensions: 28 × 11 cm (11 × 4.3 in)

Condition

Very good antique condition with normal signs of age and commercial use, including light toning, handling marks, manuscript annotations and period banking stamps. These original markings form part of the document’s commercial history. Please refer closely to the photographs for condition and details.

Please note: the frame and decorative accessories shown in styled photographs are for display purposes only and are not included in the sale.