MARIE ANTOINETTE
Letter signed ('Marie Antoinette'), in French, a letter of condolence to Luigi Vittorio di Savoia-Carignano on the death of his wife, ending by expressing her great esteem for him ('...Je vous donner des marquer de la bienveillance et de l'estime particuliére que j'ai pour vous...'), integral address panel ('a mon Cousin le/ Prince Carignan'), two black wax seals with remains of silk ribbon, bears collection label '63', one page on a bifolium, dust-staining and creasing at folds, 4to (218 x 165mm.), Versailles, 13 September 1778
Footnotes:
Marie Antoinette here sends condolences to Luigi Vittorio di Savoia-Carignano (1721-1778). His wife, Princess Christine of Hesse-Rotenburg-Rheinfels, died in September 1778 and he survived her for only a few months, dying in December 1778 at Palazzo Carignano. Their daughter Marie Thérèse, known as the Princess de Lamballe (1749-1792), was a close confidant of Marie Antoinette. The closeness of their relationship and her influence over the Dauphine caused great consternation among the French court. She was to be supplanted in Marie Antoinette's affections by the Duchesse de Polignac, although she retained her position of Superintendent at the French Court and continued to perform her duties. After refusing to take an oath against the monarchy, Marie Thérèse was killed by an angry mob during the Revolution in 1792.

Provenance: Private European collection formed by the owner's father some 50 years ago.
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