The beautiful handwriting of a notary on an officially stamped paper clearly states it: 1 bed in two colours, 4 cushions, 2 duvets, 12 bed sheets, 1 mosquito net, 2 tablecloths, 12 towels, 1 bedside table, 1 table and 1 sofa was all it took for my great great great grandmother to convince her husband to marry her. What a funny way to declare eternal love! However, contrary to what one might have wished, their love did not last forever. A second letter, written 24 years later, reveals that her late husband made sure to be remembered, leaving her with an exorbitant debt to pay back to the government.
Alas, these family letters were not the most authentic samples of love … but maybe the couple would be happy to know that their great great great grandchild is now in love with every single word that is written in them. I, thus, declare that I am in love with these letters, not because of the content—which I actually find highly entertaining—but because of the unique, elegant and impossible to decipher samples of Greek notaries’ handwriting. Enjoy!
Image 1 and 2: Saturday 2nd of April 1846. Marriage contract of my great great great grandmother. Written in Greek Polytonic.
Image 3 and 4: Tuesday 9th of July 1868: Letter revealing the struggle of my great great great grandmother to pay her late husband’s debt to the government. The debt was thankfully paid by her uncle, and family peace was restored. Written in Greek Polytonic.
