1919 English Tailor Invoice from Spa – P. Slangen – Selys Longchamps Archive

Original 1919 Belgian tailor’s invoice and handwritten correspondence from P. Slangen, “English Tailor”, established at 5 Rue Servais in Spa, addressed to Ed. de Selys.

This particularly evocative archival set combines a commercial invoice with a substantial handwritten message and its original stamped envelope.

The elegant printed letterhead identifies P. Slangen as an “English Tailor”, offering fabrics from leading English houses, with specialities including riding wear, suits and liveries. The business was located at 5 Rue Servais, near the post office in Spa, Belgium, and described itself as a house of high standing and trust.

The document is dated 30 June 1919. Interestingly, the account also contains an earlier entry dated August 1914, linking the document to a period spanning the First World War and its immediate aftermath.

Below the account, P. Slangen added a long handwritten message to Monsieur de Selys, apparently concerning a garment, its delivery and fit. This personal note gives the invoice an additional layer of interest beyond its commercial purpose.

The original blue-grey envelope is also included. It is handwritten to Ed. de Selys in Liège and retains its original Belgian postage stamp and a Spa postal cancellation dated June 1919.

Together, the invoice and envelope provide a fascinating glimpse into Belgian tailoring, English-inspired fashion, riding dress and private commercial correspondence in the immediate post–First World War period.

Included

• Original P. Slangen “English Tailor” invoice
• Handwritten personal/business message on the invoice
• Original stamped and postmarked envelope

Dimensions

• Invoice: 27.5 × 21 cm
• Envelope: 15.5 × 12.5 cm

Condition

Original antique documents showing normal age-related wear, including folds, toning, minor marks and edge wear. The envelope shows postal wear, small tears and losses at the edges consistent with its age and use.

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

Date: 1919, with an earlier account entry dated 1914
Origin: Spa / Liège, Belgium
Language: French
Original documents — not reproductions.

Provenance

From The Selys Longchamps Archive, a group of original early 20th-century letters, invoices, receipts and commercial papers connected with members of the Selys Longchamps family.

Together, these documents offer a glimpse into the family’s private, commercial and estate-related correspondence.