C. 1840s French Maison Berville Full Box of "Venetian" Charcoal Sticks ruled paper my guess might be that

my guess might be that these were done as first hand sketches out west

and thus to my eye making it quite an empathetic creature

and the binding is a bit fragile but it is holding together more or less ok and the writing throughout is dark and clear

this one I know dating to 1824 based on the portfolio it came from

C. 1840s French Maison Berville Full Box of "Venetian" Charcoal Sticks ruled paper my guess might be thatThese is a scarce French box of "Venetian" charcoal sticks, distribued by the Maison Berville in Paris and dating to about 1840; I found one box of them just like this in the digital collection of the Huntington Library. I've got a thing for antique art supplies (so romantic feeling, and as embodiments of creative potential) and for French paper labels, too, and what is purer more immediate and essential feeling than a box full of charcoal twigs? Rich