[WINE] Commercial letter to Curcier & Adet, Bordeaux wine merchants, concerning an Australian shipment. May, 1871.

Manuscript letter, 1 1/2 pages, quarto, on the letterhead of shipping brokers Constantin, Boisson & Co., Rochefort, addressed to Messieurs Curcier & Adet, Bordeaux, dated 21 May 1871; the letter concerns correspondence that has been received from Curcier & Adet’s Melbourne office re. a claim for payment that has been made by Constantin, Boisson & Co. for cargo carried to Australia on the Notre Dame de la Providence; Constantin, Boisson & Co. explain that on 3 April 1870 they had paid 22,000 francs to hire the ship to transport goods (this ship had arrived at Melbourne from France in September 1870 and at Sydney in October, with a cargo of wine & spirits – the Australian shipping agents were Curcier, Hawke & Co.); original fold, very clean and legible.

From Le Courrier Australien (1 Nov 1976):

‘History of . . . CURCIER ADET & CO. PTY. LIMITED. This Company commenced business in Australia about the lime of the gold-rushes of the 1850’s and there was a connection between those events. It’s an interesting little story, woven round the history of Australia itself… In the early fifties of last century GUSTAVE CURCIER, and EDOUARD ADET of Bordeaux, France, decided to join the thousands of immigrants then pouring into Victoria following the discovery of gold. As there was no regular shipping from France, they chartered a ship, loaded it with Bordeaux products (mainly Brandy) and set sail for Melbourne in 1851. For these two young men, both still in their twenties it was intended as a simple trading venture, but Australia claimed them. Both were to marry here, Adet was to become Consul for France. Gustave Curçier set up a shipping house in Bordeaux, (still flourishing to-day as Adet Seward & Co.), with branches in the islands and Australian Capital cities. The Sydney office opened in 1866 at 393 George Street. Gustave Curcier, elected to remain in Australia and confirmed his ties with his adopted country by marrying an Australian girl, Elizabeth Seward. To-day Curcier Adet & Co. Pty. Limited is now situated at 17 Atchison Street, ST. LEONARDS and managed by Mr. Walter Borsos and his charming wife, Grace. “Wally” comes from a family of vignerons of several generations; his great knowledge of Australian and European wines, makes him an expert in his field. People come from far and wide to consult Wally on the choices of various vintages. The “French” tradition of Curcier Adet is carried on, in the person of Monsieur Gérard C. Lefèbvre, working in association with the Company. Monsieur Lefèbvre is known to many French and Australian personalities as the former French Honorary Consul for Western Australia. Curcier Adet & Company, is far from being just a “Liquor Store”, it has an old world atmosphere, where the display of new and old vintage wines, spirits and liqueurs can be seen and appreciated by all. Beer is also available, including most Australian and imported lagers, also the famous Lowenbrau brand from Munich. A visit to Curcier Adet, will be a pleasurable and rewarding experience to the connoisseur and the enthusiastic amateur alike.’