BERNADOTTE

Not, one would imagine, a particularly common signature. In good condition, lightly aged. On 20 x 16.5 piece of watermarked laid paper: the lower half of a document dated in another hand to 1806. Another (illegible) signature at top right. The Crown Prince’s signature as ‘Attester’ is an excellent one, good and clear, reading ‘Christian August [lel?] Holstein’. He would serve as Crown Prince of Sweden between 15 July 1809 and 28 May 1810. After his death the line of succession would pass to the Frenchman Jean Bernadotte. See image.

On 22 x 14 cm piece of laid paper, cut from the foot of a document. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased, with tiny closed tear to one edge. Folded three times. At head, in the kings hand: ‘[...] terrattelse lander. Stockholms Slott den 6 Maj 1847. / Oscar’. Directly beneath the firm, clear signature, is the embossed circular seal, under paper, 6 cm in diameter, with motto ‘OSCAR SVER NOR GOTH OCH W KONUNG / RATT OCH SANNING’.

BM 13489. Landscape. On a piece of wove paper, roughly 215 x 305 mm. Good, on heavily-aged paper and with strip of blue paper mount adhering to the blank reverse. The title 'BERNADOTTE' is at the head, and the publication details and caption at the foot. Shows Bernadotte in martial pose and uniform, riding his white horse over a fearsome serpent. He wears a sash on which are written the words 'Leipsic' and 'Victory'.