A vast and varied collection of artifacts—all related to the life and legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte—is heading to the auction block at Sotheby’s Paris next month. According to Marine de Cenival, head of sales at Sotheby’s Paris, “Few collections have succeeded so well in capturing both the myth and the man.”
De Cenival continued, “From majestic emblems of imperial power to deeply personal mementos, this collection brings to life the extraordinary complexity of Napoleon’s legacy—his vision, his ambition, and his enduring mystique.”
Sotheby’s Paris to Sell Storied Napoleon Collection, Including Coronation Artifacts
Over the course of four decades, Pierre-Jean Chalençon, a Napoleon Bonaparte expert, amassed hundreds of artifacts related to the famed French emperor. Chalençon has reportedly been forced to sell some of it to pay off the debt incurred after all the purchases. As such, about 100 objects from his collection will be auctioned at Sotheby’s Paris on June 25.
Interestingly, some of Chalençon’s treasures hearken back to Napoleon’s extravagant coronation ceremony. A herald sword and stick, with ornate details of bees and thunderbolts, was wielded by the Chief Herald of the Empire at the event. Sotheby’s Paris will auction it with a high pre-sale estimate of $454,100 (€400,000). Additionally, facings from the ceremonial cloak worn by Marshal Oudinot to the event could fetch up to $56,760 (€50,000).
Napoleon’s Famous Hat Could Fetch $900,000
The star lot of the Sotheby’s sale is one of Napoleon’s iconic bicorne hats. Estimated to fetch $567,620 to $908,190 (€500,000 to €800,000), the distinctive two-cornered hat has historically sparked bidding wars at auction. Napoleon was known for wearing his bicorne hat sideways, or en bataille, with its wings flared outward, creating an unmissable signature silhouette on the battlefield. Other officers typically wore the hat in a front-to-back fashion.
Several other objects in the sale were also worn and used by Napoleon. Among these are clothing items, including a set of stockings embroidered with his initials that carry a high pre-sale estimate of $90,810 (€80,000). A portable folding bed, specially designed for Napoleon’s military campaigns, could fetch up to $68,110 (€60,000). The codicil to Napoleon’s will, which bears his handwriting and seal, heads to the auction block with a high pre-sale estimate of $567,620 (€500,000).
Historic Paintings and Other Sale Highlights
The Sotheby’s sale also features several significant paintings of the emperor. For example, the Paris auction house will offer a reproduction of François-Pascal-Simon Baron Gérard’s portrait of Napoleon in his coronation regalia. Created by the artist’s studio for propagandic purposes, the reproduction is estimated to fetch about $340,570 (€300,000).
Edouard Detaille’s 1908 portrait, in which Napoleon dons a military uniform and gazes heroically out of the frame, is also heading to the auction block. It carries a high pre-sale estimate of $113,520 (€100,000) and depicts Napoleon at the height of his military success. In contrast, Paul Delaroche’s painting, titled Napoleon at Fontainebleau, documents Napoleon’s downfall. The evocative 1848 portrait is estimated to fetch up to $283,810 (€250,000) at the June 25 sale.
