General Boulanger aka "General Revenge" Signed Card and calling card
Two French cards relating to Georges Ernest Boulanger (1837-1891) aka "Général Revanche" or "General Revenge." Boulanger was a French military commander and figurehead of the reactionary political movement known as Boulangisme. The first card has a minor corner wrinkle at upper left, while both cards have scrapbook album mounting traces verso. Else near fine. The larger card measures 5" x 2.625."
The lot is comprised of:
1. A card inscribed with 12 words in Boulanger's hand including his large and elegant signature as "Gal Boulanger." The first card reads in full: "à un américain, ami de la france. / Un soldat français, / Gal Boulanger," which translates as: "to an American, friend of France. / A French soldier, / Gen. Boulanger."
2. General Boulanger's calling card with his military title, "Commander of the 13th Army Corps," dating it to ca. June 1887 - March 1888, near the summit of General Boulanger's political power.
General Boulanger, a career soldier who served in Italy, Vietnam, and Tunisia, galvanized political support among French Catholics, royalists, and the working classes during the late 1880s. His supporters, called Boulangistes, advocated a fierce form of nationalism demanding revenge against the Germans after the Franco-Prussian War. Boulanger's meteoric rise to political power--in which he nearly established a military dictatorship in France--was matched only by dramatic events in his personal life, which included fighting a duel with a fellow member of parliament, living in exile on the Channel Islands, and killing himself on the grave of his mistress!
This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.
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