Castle of MARLY-LE-ROI (78) Letter signed of the Count Louis PHÉLYPEAUX DE PONTCHARTRAIN Chancellor of France, Secretary of State of the Household of the King (1643-1727), to Madam the Countess of MURSAY. MARLY August 1, 1710. "I would be very comfortable, Madame, to be able to make you obtain the ruling which you wish for Commissioners in the affair which Messieurs vos Enfants have in the Grand Chamber against Messire de VILLEDIEU, but it is an absolutely impossible thing, the King having made it a loyalty to give Commissioners in any affair whatsoever, only with the consent of the parties...".

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.