Are you a history aficionado or a collector of rare memorabilia? If so, you might be interested to know that one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s iconic hats is set to go under the hammer at an auction in Fontainebleau, just outside of Paris. This rare piece, along with other personal items, is expected to command a price of over half a million euros.
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Historic in significance, one of Napoleon’s trademark bicorne hats, symbolic of his reign over 19th-century France and military campaigns across Europe, is poised to fetch an impressive sum of 600,000 euros ($650,000) at the upcoming auction. Additionally, other captivating items to be offered for sale include a silver plate looted from Napoleon’s carriage after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, as well as a wooden vanity case holding a collection of his personal grooming tools, such as razors, a silver toothbrush, scissors, and other valuables.
The centerpiece of the auction, the faded black felt hat, has been appraised at a value ranging between 600,000 and 800,000 euros ($650,000 to $870,000). What makes this item particularly noteworthy is the unique manner in which Napoleon wore it, with the ends pointing towards his shoulders instead of the traditional front-to-back positioning, known as “en bataille” or “in battle” in French.
“For people who are into Napoleonic souvenirs, it’s the holy grail to have a hat,” said Jean-Pierre Osenat, head of the Osenat auction house. “There’s about 20 left that are authentic and about 15 of them are kept in museums, so there’s about 4 or 5 that are in collectors’ hands.”
The hat that is up for auction was originally recovered by Col. Pierre Baillon, a trusted officer and companion-in-arms of Napoleon, before passing through several hands and eventually being acquired by Noisiez. The collector, who spent over fifty years amassing a wide array of Napoleonic memorabilia, firearms, swords, and coins, tragically passed away in 2022.
An interesting item among the collection is a circular silver plate, valued at 20,000 to 30,000 euros ($22,000 to $32,500), bearing an engraving that denotes its origin from Napoleon’s carriage at Waterloo. Likewise, a mahogany vanity case, adorned with Napoleon’s imperial coat of arms, is estimated to fetch a price of 40,000 to 60,000 euros ($43,500 to $65,000) due to its historical significance and contents.
The upcoming auction will undoubtedly draw the attention of history enthusiasts and collectors alike, offering an opportunity to own a piece of Napoleon’s legacy and a glimpse into a pivotal period in European history.
(AP)
