Page 22 - Delcampe Collections classiques EN-004

Stamps

Another letter from this period is shown on page
133 of the book:
Letter written in Milan on 12 Thermidor Year V signed
Alex(andre) Berthier (1st state) Desaix wrote: “The
Chief-of-Staff (Berthier) has a magnificent vignette...”
upon discovering, during his trip to Italy (1797), the
letterhead designed by Andrea Appiani and
produced in intaglio. Two versions of it exist, deter-
mined by historical events:
1. “Preliminaries of the peace of...” in anticipation of
its name;
2. “Peace Treaty of Campo-Formio, 26 Frimaire Year
VI”.
This change shows how certain headers evolved and
were modified according to circumstances or events.

As a reminder, the Treaty of Campo Formio signed in
Italy between Bonaparte and the Count of Cobentzl
ended the Franco-Austrian war after five years of figh-
ting. Following this treaty, the Austrian Netherlands
were annexed to France. This French victory after
the siege of Toulon marked the political career of
Napoleon, who did not hesitate to spread the word,
thus imposing a form of propaganda by mail to pro-
mote the greatness of France.

22 Delcampe Magazine