1873-1893]. Offered together ten large engraved handkerchieves printed in red and black, all seemingly on fine cotton though one perhaps printed on silk, of varying sizes but on average 670 x 760mm, each comprising panels of text together with accompanying engraved military vignettes and insignia; the majority hemmed at top and bottom, all displaying evidence of wear and use to varying degrees, with some browning and staining as to be expected, with occasional marginal tears and holes, though none overly detrimental nor interrupting meaning, and aside from No. 4 which is a little faded, all good strong impressions; a number bearing stamps in black ink, which we presume to be regimental/infantry numbers, with a couple also bearing embroidered monograms; for a full description see below; a visually striking and scarce set, one of the most complete seemingly offered together. A fine series (a constructed set) of ten portable and multi-purpose military aide-mémoires for soldiers, conveniently and strikingly printed in durable ink on fine cotton handkerchieves in red, white and black. Each comprises a series of instructional text panels accompanied by appropriate illustrations and vignettes, covering weapon assembly and usage, equestrianism and equine care, field artillery, general equipment, battlefield medicine and the treatment of the wounded, guidance for reservists, and the construction of military bridges and river crossings.
In the wake of France’s humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian war, general conscription was implemented in France in 1872. Though education was now compulsory in France, levels of illiteracy were still high, and much of the training was conducted orally, but other methods were required to ensure that the new generation of soldiers were properly prepared. The series appears to have been the inspiration of Commandant Pierre Perrinon of the Rouen garrison, who devised the idea of printing basic military information in such a way that soldiers could have it on their person at all times. Being strong, light weight and resilient, the handkerchief could also serve as a scarf, bandage, tourniquet or sling, as well as being used for its original purpose as a handkerchief if required! They could also be easily shared around the barracks or in the field whilst training, or indeed on active service. A patent for the idea was filed in 1875 and the diffusion of these ‘mouchoirs’ was eventually authorised by the Minster of War, Farre, on November 29th in 1880. They remained in circulation until 1909. Perrinon provided the instructional text, and all were produced in Rouen, printed by E. Renault, and were the original work of the Buquet workshop of engravers. Whilst instructional, the text is inevitably highly patriotic, the soldiers frequently being exhorted to do their duty, and never leave their post. ‘Vive la France’ is the constant refrain, with the new recruits encouraged to ‘Do what you must, come what may, and you will be a good citizen, a good soldier, and an honest man to all’ (No. 5).
Both Renault and Buquet were already renown for the production of attractive commemorative handkerchiefs. Between 1830 and 1905 the Buquet’s engraved over 300 such examples, on a range of topics including politics, humour, commemorative, and practical, as demonstrated here. The Rouennais ‘mouchoirs’ are all renowned for their rich iconography, the handkerchiefs serving a number of purposes from the decorative to the educational, and could be worn tied around the neck, could be used to carry objects, or were pinned to the wall.
Though the present series is numbered 1 to 10, three revisions and updates were also issued over time, thus eventually running to thirteen ‘mouchoir’. The offered series does not include an early version of No 1, on the disassembly and reassembly of the Chassepot Model 1866 rifle (only one example online so far traced); No. 4 ‘Démontage remontage de la carabine de Cavalerie 1890’ (only one copy so far seen online); or the first issue of No. 9 on the 1886 Lebel rifle. The revised issued of 1893 is offered here. Nearly all bear either black ink stamps, or embroidered initials and marks which we presume to be regimental - no doubt relating to the infantry company, possibly to help the the quartermaster keep an inventory of them during routine laundry, further numbers and initials presumably referring to an individual soldier. As far as we are aware, this is the most complete set offered to date, and comprises:
No. 1 ‘Démontage remontage du revolver 1873. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Fabrique de E. Renault à Rouen. A. Buquet, des et grav’. 820 x 780mm, with central panel depicting the gun, surrounded by 20 engraved vignettes and text; top and bottom edges unhemmed and so a little frayed, with 4cm nick to left margin but with no significant loss, somewhat browned with a few stains; though assumed cotton, this example does feel somewhat silk like.
No. 2. ‘Démontage remontage du fusil modele 1874. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Fabrique de E. Renault à Rouen’. 680 x 765mm, with central panel depicting the gun, surrounded by 20 engraved vignettes and text; hemmed top and bottom edge, text somewhat browned with some staining and creasing; with regimental stamps in black ink ‘B24732’ and ‘21EM’.
No. 3. ‘Cavalerie instruction sur le cheval. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Fabrique de E. Renault à Rouen.’ 700 x 770mm, with central engraved vignette comprised of music for two bugle calls, surrounding by a circular vignette of images and text, with further circular images, musical notation, and four corner vignettes providing further instruction on equestrian care, top and bottom edge hemmed, with evidence of previous pin holes in corners, with upper right and lower left corners torn with some loss, some fraying to edges and a few small marginal tears; some light browning and foxing, stamped with the nos ‘3165’ in black ink
No. 4. ‘Cavalerie. Instruction pour le paquetage et route. De Campagne et de Parade. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Manufacture de E. Renault à Rouen. A. Buquet, Dessin et Gravure’ 670 x 760, circular central text panel headed with vignette of military equipment with bugleman and rifleman standing to attention at either side, surrounded by circle of text and six images including nomenclature of a horse, with further series of text and nine images, top and bottom edge hemmed, somewhat sunned and faded, with some minor spotting and soiling.
No. 5. ‘Artilleries. Artillerie de Campagne. Service des canons de 80 et 90 millitre, exécuté par 6 servants. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Manufacture de E. Renault à Rouen’. 640x760mm, octoganal central text panel with illustrations of canons and accessories, surrounded by an inner border of text, and a further outer illustrated runner border of gun placements, hemmed top and bottom, with 3cm hole in top left margin but with no significant loss, with one small hole in text with loss of a couple of letters, edges a little sunned and with some minor soiling, small embroidered monogram of ‘E.B.’ in red cotton.
No. 6. ‘Aide mémoire du réserviste. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Manufacture de E. Renault à Rouen’. 670 x 760mm, three central columns including battlefield vignette, 16 smaller engraved vignettes forming an inner border, surrounded by further text panels and four large oval corner vignettes, unhemmed and thus edges somewhat frayed at top and bottom, with some marginal staining, small hole in lower right margin, some soiling and a few small holes visible, with prominent black regimental stamp in lower left corner which has offset to upper left corner, somewhat obscuring text.
No. 7. ‘Secours aux blessés, Hygiéne Campagne. Service en Campagne. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Manufacture de E. Renault à Rouen’. 680 x 780mm, with central square instructional panel with 16 small vignettes and four further vignettes at each corner, surrounded by 16 further vignettes and 16 panels of text, with four military medals and decorations in the four corners, outer margins hemmed, top and bottom somewhat frayed with large tear at upper right corner with partial loss of one insignia, with further small hole in upper left margin, somewhat browned and soiled, with further small holes visible, and with the black ink regimental(?) stamp of ‘132 M 2961’ in bottom left corner which has offset to upper left, the ‘132 M’ further embroidered in red cotton, and with another stamp of ‘6719’.
No. 8. ‘Placement des effets pour les revues de détail dans les chambres. D’après les dernières instructions ministèrielles de 1884. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Manufacture de E. Renault à Rouen’. 690 x 765, with large central decagon including text and numerous small engraved diagrams and vignettes, with four larger vignettes at each corner, and engraved wreath border, top and bottom edge hemmed, with some occsaional light spotting and soiling, but otherwise clean and bright, and with the stamp ‘96 d. L’ (presumably 96th infantry line).
No. 9. ‘Demontage et remontage du fils modèle 1886 modifié 1893. Noir Indestructible. Deposé. Brevete S.G.D.G. Manufacture de E. Renault à Rouen’. 680 x 765mm, square central instructional panel including numerous images of the weapon, with outer border of 20 panels and vignettes, the majority of which have been reused from Mouchoir No. 2, with four smaller corner vignettes depicting accessories, top and bottom edge hemmed, a number of small holes visible but none with significant loss or detrimental to meaning, some occasional light soiling and staining but generally bright, with black oval regimental stamp in upper right corner, somewhat illegible, though with the number ‘2858’.
No. 10. ‘Pont militaires (Passage des rivières) - (Abris de tirailleurs. Destructions). Modèle dépose. Noir Indestructible. Manufacture de E. Renault à Rouen. A. Buquet et gendre, des, et grav. a Rouen’. 675 x 760mm, central panel of text in two columns, with one large vignette and six smaller figures, surrounded by four large illustrated panels, and four corner text panels, top and bottom edge hemmed, small hole at lower margin touching border with a few further small holes visible, with light soiling and browning, and with black ink stamp ‘41 C, 5271’ at lower edge and which has slightly offset in centre and is faintly visible.