France bans export of Napoleon's pistols shortly before auction
The French Culture Ministry has issued an export ban on two pistols that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte and were to be auctioned off. The weapons, with which the self-proclaimed emperor intended to take his life in 1814, are of "great historical and artistic interest for the national heritage" and therefore should be considered as "national treasures," explained the commission in charge of national treasures in the official bulletin.
The pistols were to be auctioned off on a Sunday by auction houses Osenat and Rossini in Fontainebleau, Paris, where the castle stands in which Napoleon attempted suicide after his defeat in the French campaign. However, his servant, the Maquis de Caulaincourt, had removed the powder from the pistols, which the emperor had had made by a smith from Versailles, said auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat to the news agency AFP.
"Napoleon then took poison. However, he had to surrender and did not die," added Osenat. The emperor gifted the pistols to his servant as a token of gratitude for Caulaincourt's loyalty. "They have been in the family's possession since then, and they have decided to part with them," said Osenat.
The pistols, adorned with gold and silver and housed in a valuable wooden case, bear an engraved image of the emperor. Their value, according to Osenat, is estimated at 1.2 to 1.5 million Euro. With the issuance of the export ban, the French state has 30 months to make an offer for the pistols. The owner has the right to reject the offer. If the state does not purchase the weapons, the export ban no longer applies and they can be sold abroad.
Memorabilia related to Napoleon are highly sought after by collectors: His famous black two-edged sword with decorations in the French national colors fetched a record sum of 1.9 million Euro at an auction in November.
After his abdication, Napoleon went into exile on the island of Elba off the coast of Italy. He soon grew bored and returned dramatically to France, but his career was finally ended when he was defeated by the British in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Six years later, he died in exile on the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic.
Although the pistols were initially intended for an auction, the French Culture Ministry imposed an export ban due to their significant historical and artistic value as national treasures. These pistols, which once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte and were used during his attempted suicide, could potentially fetch a high price at international auctions, given the high demand for Napoleon memorabilia. Regardless, the state now has 30 months to make a purchase offer for these pistols, known for their ornate design and engravings.
