Napoleon hat tops $2 million at auction in France
A black bicorn hat with red, white and blue cockade that was part of it Napoleon I was awarded this Sunday at an auction in Fontainebleau, on the outskirts of Paris 1.93 million euros (about 2.1 million dollars).including fees), the auction house stated Osenat.
You may be interested: A copy of the Titanic menu was auctioned for more than $100,000
Neither the identity nor nationality of the buyer were disclosed.
The sale was attractive “Collectors from all over the world” and caused quite a stir, the auction house told AFP, breaking its own record set in 2014 when it sold another Napoleon hat for 1.88 million euros ($2.05 million).
You might be interested in: “Napoleon”: What do the critics say about Joaquin Phoenix’s new film?
The iconic hat auctioned on Sunday was priced at 500,000 euros ($544,000), far exceeding the original estimate of 600,000 to 800,000 euros ($650,000 to 870,000).
Napoleon wore these distinctive black bicorn hats when he ruled France and waged war on Europe in the 19th century (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
The auction coincides with the upcoming release a big blockbuster about Napoleon Joaquin Phoenix In the main role.
You may be interested: Since the beginning of the Gaza war, at least 600 people have been arrested in France for anti-Semitic acts
“The hat alone represents the image of the emperor” the head of the auction, Jean-Pierre Osenat, told AFP in October.
While other officers wore their caps with the brims backwards, Napoleon wore it with the points on the sides. This style is called “in battle” – in battle, in French – allowed troops to see the general and statesman in the thick of battle.
According to experts, Napoleon wore about 120 of these hats over a fifteen-year period and that is why they appear at auctions from time to time.
“For people looking for Napoleonic souvenirs, the cap is the best”said Osenat. “There are about 20 copies left that are authentic and about 15 of those are in museums, which means there are four or five left in the hands of collectors.”
According to the auction house, Napoleon in particular wore the hat that was auctioned in the middle of his imperial period. According to experts, The emperor added his cockade while he was in the Mediterraneanreturn from Elba-Island on March 1, 1815.
The bicorn hat auctioned on Sunday was made by Pierre Quentin Joseph BaillonThe emperor’s furrier from 1806. The hat remained in his family until the end of the 19th century and was then sold on to various collectors.
The cap passed through many hands before the industrial entrepreneur acquired it. Jean-Louis Noisiez.
The businessman built his Napoleonic collection of firearms, swords and coins over 50 years until his death in 2022. Other historical items in the Napoleonic memorabilia sale from the Noisiez Collection include: Silver plate stolen from Napoleon’s carriage after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815a wooden toiletry bag with razors, silver toothbrush, scissors and other personal items.
The auction coincides with the upcoming release of a major blockbuster about Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix.
According to the auction house, another hat followed in 2018 Baecque et associates Napoleon used during the Battle of Waterloo It was sold in Lyon (southeast) for 350,000 euros (approximately $380,000).
Napoleon became famous over time French Revolutionand became a key figure in the Revolutionary Wars.
He served the Republic as its first consul and was crowned emperor in 1804.
He went into exile in 1815 after losing the battle against the British and Prussian forces Waterloo.
He died in 1821 on the island of St. Helenain the Atlantic Ocean.