ARCHINARD, Jean-Pierre.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Account book of the French politician Jean-Pierre Archinard. An extensive account book for the household of the Revolutionary politician Jean-Pierre Archinard, covering over six decades. Archinard (1742-1836) was born in Saillans, Drôme, and became a prominent merchant in nearby Crest. He opposed the ancien régime and was elected deputy of Drôme to the Legislative Assembly in 1791, where he focused on financial reform and organized the national accounting offices. After the Revolution, he returned to local politics. He continued to oppose the Bourbons, represented Napoleon during the Hundred Days, and later embraced the July Monarchy, receiving the Legion of Honour in 1832.The account book opens with Archinard's purchase of his family home in Crest from Mr de Gramont on 3 January 1770 and continues until 1835, a year before his death. It includes a directory of 88 household employees, from maids and cooks to wigmakers. Business and legal transactions with associates in Lyon and Nîmes are recorded, alongside payments for renovations by glaziers, locksmiths, gardeners, and plasterers. Detailed accounts of furniture, mirrors, curtains, earthenware, and services from cabinetmakers and boilermakers are provided, as well as records of his life annuity and inventories of household linens and silverware. The front endpapers and preliminary leaves comprise a family register, recording the births and marriages of his daughters.Of particular interest is Archinard's 50-year subscription

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.