[‘Général Revanche’: Georges Boulanger, French army officer and politician.] Envelope with his Autograph Signature and address by him.

The present item dates from a year of turmoil for Boulanger. At the start of 1889 it had seemed likely that he would exploit his tremendous working-class support to become dictator, but by April a warrant had been issued for his arrest and he had fled first to Brussels and then to London, before setting in Victor Hugo style in Jersey. He would return to Brussels in 1891, to shoot himself dead at the grave of his recently-deceased mistress. Complete 12 x 9.5 cm white envelope. In fair condition, lightly aged, and with back flap torn. All in Boulanger’s hand, with his underlined signature at bottom left, the writing on the front cover of the envelope reads: ‘Demande d’autorisation. / à Son Excellence / Monsieur le Gouverneur. / Saint-Hélier. / Ile de Jersey. / Genl. Boulanger.’ Beneath the top line, in pencil: ‘for Elizabeth Castle.-’ On the reverse, in a contemporary hand, in ink: ‘Autograph Letter & Envelope of Genl. Boulanger / 18 Nor. 1889’. The letter is not present.