Letterlocking: René Milleran’s independently folded "tuck-and-seal," France (1690, 1742) (UH0068)

Model found in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries (MIT), Unlocking History Research Group archive, MC 0760.

This video demonstrates a letterlocking category variation we have not yet encountered on a historical letter but rather in a description provided in René Milleran's 17th-century secretary manual, Le nouveau secrétaire de la cour ou lettres familières sur toutes sortes de sujet, 1742, 365.

The process of discovering letterlocking categories usually begins with a historical example of a letter. We then identify its manipulations (e.g. folding, tucking, adhering) and reverse-engineer it. Based on those findings, we assign the letter to an existing category.

The text appears on the recto of each leaf of a bifolium. The bifolium is opened flat. The substrate is roll-folded from left to right in thirds just to the left of the gutter fold of the bifolium. The substrate is then tri-folded, head to tail, roll-folded left to right, and then tri-folded again. This sequence creates an inaccessible edge closure flap, which tucks into the opposite pocket, forming the letterpacket. An adhesive would have been applied over the overlapping edges.

Milleran's letter-writing manual describes at least three letterlocking category variations. The variation demonstrated in this video is important because it shares the same crease patterns but has different crease assignments (mountain vs. valley) than a typical historical letter variation found in the Early Modern period called the "tuck-and-seal." This letter's crease pattern resembles a typical nine-panel early modern "tuck-and-seal," however, its crease assignments reveal that it was folded using an independent folding technique, where the first and second leaves of the bifolium are not folded in tandem to create the letterpacket.

There may be many letters in collections around the world folded in the way that Milleran describes, however, if the crease assignments are not preserved on letters stored flat, then the letterlocking category variations appear to be identical. Those crease patterns all have nine panels, like the variation commonly referred to as a "tuck-and-seal." See two videos with nine-panel crease patterns and different crease assignments: John Donne: John Donne's tuck-and-seal letter to Sir Nicholas Carew, England (1625), and a letter found in the Brienne Collection, another independent folding variation: Brienne Postal Archive: Gold-flecked seal "Rectangle Inside," Europe (1690–1711).

In the Brienne Collection (see videos: rectangle inside and triangle inside) we do find historical examples of independently-folded leaves of a bifolium, but we have yet to find one with the fold assignments Milleran describes. We are on the lookout – let us know if you come across a historic example!

Many thanks to Camille Dekeyser, for bringing Milleran’s secretary manual to our attention, for translating the passage, and for demonstrating it. Funded by the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries. Special thanks to Vincent Thuet, independent filmmaker producing this video; Ayako Letizia, Camille Dekeyser for demonstrating this interpretation of the letterlocking variation described in Milleran’s publication, and MIT Video Production staff.

Letterlocking for “René Milleran’s independently folded "tuck-and-seal," France (1690, 1742)” demonstrated by Camille Dekeyser and directed and produced by Vincent Thuet, Freelance Editor and Videographer. Translation by Camille Dekeyser and Jana Dambrogio.

Citation information: Authors: Camille Dekeyser, Jana Dambrogio and the Unlocking History Research Group. Title: "René Milleran’s independently folded "tuck-and-seal," France (1690, 1742)," Letterlocking Instructional Videos. Unlocking History number 0068/Letterlocking Unique Video number: 068. Date filmed: June 2016. Duration: 3:02. Date posted: June 2016. Video URL: [Insert URL]. Date accessed: [Date].

Copyright 2015–present. Jana Dambrogio, the Unlocking History Research Group, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). All rights reserved. The following copyrighted material is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.... Contact the MIT Technology Licensing Office for any other licensing inquiries.

NB: Letterlock responsibly. Be mindful of open flames or hot tools.

To find out more about letterlocking, visit http://letterlocking.org and follow us on social media @letterlocking.
Follow our collaborators @Bookw0orm and @ThuetVincent.

YouTube URL: http://bit.ly/FrenchLetter1742 or    • Letterlocking: René Milleran’s indepe...