Manoscritto - Repubblica di Venezia – Documento manoscritto originale del seicento sotto il Dogado Contarini - 1682

Rare original seventeenth-century handwritten document – Dogate of Alvise Contarini (1676–1684)
Ancient testimony of the administrative and judicial history of the Serenissima Republic of Venice.

Description for the auction
Interesting and evocative original handwritten document from 1682, dating from the period of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, during the Dogate of Alvise Contarini, the 106th Doge of Venice, who held office from 1676 to 1684.
The document, entirely handwritten with brown ink on antique paper, represents a precious testimony of the administrative and judicial practices in use in the territories of the Venetian Republic during the 17th century.

The handwriting, characterized by an elegant and articulated 17th-century cursive, features numerous abbreviations, legal formulas, and manuscript signatures, elements typical of the era’s official documentation.
Particularly interesting is the dating to 1682, clearly recognizable in the manuscript, which places the document in a significant period of Venetian history, when the Serenissima maintained a leading role in Mediterranean trade and European diplomacy.

Content and historical features
From an initial reading of the text, the manuscript appears to refer to an administrative and judicial matter, with references to prior measures, provisions, and competent authorities.

There are references to earlier dates, names, and formulas that suggest official communication related to the execution or evaluation of previous decisions.

The document preserves characteristics of particular interest:
- Era: 17th century, year 1682.
- State: Serenissima Republic of Venice.
- Dogate: Alvise Contarini (1676–1684).
- Type: ancient handwritten administrative-legal document.
- Support: antique paper.
- Script: 17th-century cursive with brown ink and color variations.
- Language: early modern Italian with period formulas and abbreviations.
- Distinctive elements: manuscript signatures, chronological references, and annotations.
- Preservation: apparently intact document, with natural signs of aging, slight color alterations, and traces of old folds.

A discovery with particular charm
The manuscript was found inside an old piece of furniture, where it had been kept for an undetermined period.

This particular circumstance of the find adds charm to its history, evoking the journey through the centuries of a document that has survived to the present day.

The storage inside the furniture may have helped protect it from prolonged exposure to light and external agents.

Historical context: Venice in 1682
In 1682 the Republic of Venice was governed by Doge Alvise Contarini, a member of one of the oldest and most influential Venetian patrician families.
The Serenissima, while undergoing a phase of progressive transformation of its political and commercial balances, maintained an articulated institutional, administrative, and judicial system.
The production of handwritten documents was a fundamental instrument for managing justice, disputes, trade, and the relations between authorities and citizens.
Documents like the one proposed herein thus constitute material testimonies of daily life and the functioning of Venetian institutions in the seventeenth century.

Collecting interest
A specimen of certainly interest for collectors and enthusiasts of:
- Original historical documents of the 17th century.
- History of the Serenissima Republic of Venice.
- Ancient manuscripts and paleography.
- Italian administrative and judicial history.
- Paper antiquities and archival documentation.

An fascinating manuscript testimony from over 340 years ago, which has reached us through the centuries.

State of conservation
The document is offered in the condition visible in the photographs, with natural signs of aging compatible with the era.

There are slight irregularities in the margins, a patina of time, and some variation in ink tone.
The handwriting appears overall well preserved and largely legible, though paleographic expertise is required for a complete transcription.
Note: the chronological attribution to 1682 is supported by the dates visible in the manuscript. The reference to the Dogate of Alvise Contarini identifies the historical context, it does not imply that the document was personally signed by the Doge. The exact nature of the act and any issuing authorities require paleographic investigation.

Authentic document. The cover image is for representational purposes only; the document is clearly visible in the following images.

Tracked shipping.