1928 Construction Materials Account – Joseph Degesves Ciney – Selys Longchamps Archive

Original 1928 Belgian construction-materials account from Joseph Degesves of Ciney, addressed to Baron Edgard de Selys Longchamps and accompanied by its original stamped envelope.

This substantial commercial document was issued by Joseph Degesves – Matériaux de Construction, established on Rue du Commerce in Ciney, near the railway station.

The printed letterhead provides a fascinating overview of the materials supplied by the business, including:

• cement and plaster
• slates and roof tiles
• cement and ceramic tiles
• concrete and stoneware pipes
• gravel and sand
• ceiling laths
• Eternit
• bituminous cardboard and other building materials

Dated 31 December 1928, the document appears to function as a statement of account, bringing together several earlier invoices and outstanding amounts.

The handwritten entries refer to accounts from 1922, 1923 and 1924, followed by interest charges and later invoices from 1928. The final balance amounts to approximately 1,147.15 francs.

A handwritten note at the bottom requests payment from the Baron and indicates that, failing settlement, the interest rate would be increased.

The accompanying original envelope is printed with the heading:

Joseph Degesves
Matériaux de Construction
Ancienne Maison Auguste Laloux
Rue du Commerce, Ciney

It retains its original Belgian postage stamp and postal cancellation and is addressed to Baron Edgard de Selys Longchamps.

Together, the invoice and envelope provide a particularly evocative glimpse into estate maintenance, construction supplies, commercial credit and local trade in the Ciney region during the 1920s.

Included

• Original Joseph Degesves construction-materials account
• Original stamped and postmarked company envelope

Dimensions

• Account / invoice: 27.5 × 21 cm
• Envelope: 15.5 × 12 cm

Condition

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

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

Date: 1928
Origin: Ciney, 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.