(Photo : Youtube Screenshot / WNCT-TV 9 On Your Side)
Two pistols that are believed to have once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte have sold for €1.69 million ($1.84 million) at an auction that was held in Fontainebleau, a place just to the south of Paris. It occurred on July 7 via the Osenat auction house; after the French government declared the pistols as culturally significant assets and prohibited their exportation from France.
Description and Historical Context
Estimations made towards the value of the pistols were put at as low as €1.2 million to €1.5 million. On them were engraved Napoleonic images and with gold and/or silver inlays they were engraved. These historical weapons are significant due to a dark chapter in Napoleon's life. In 1814, following the defeat of his army by foreign forces, Napoleon reportedly intended to use these pistols to end his life. According to Jean-Pierre Osenat, president of the auction house, Napoleon's grand squire removed the powder from the pistols, preventing the suicide attempt. Subsequently, Napoleon ingested poison but survived after vomiting.
Napoleon later gifted the pistols to his squire, General Armand de Caulaincourt. These weapons remained with Caulaincourt's descendants until they were consigned to the auction house. This sale of Napoleon's pistols is not the first time that the memorabilia of the famous leader has been sold and bought for a good price at an auction. Earlier in November, one of Napoleon's "bicorne" hats reached $2.1 million mortgage creations, significantly outstripping its estimated worth of $650,000 to $870,000.
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The French Ministry of Culture declared them as national treasures on July 6 prior to the auctioning of these pistols. This status initiates a 30-month period during which the French government can make an offer to purchase the pistols from their new, unidentified owner. The owner, however, retains the right to refuse the government's offer. The national treasure status also ensures that the pistols cannot permanently leave France, guaranteeing their preservation within the country.
Interview with an anonymous representative of the Osenat auction house identified such benefits as follows: It should be noted that the classification of such an object as a national treasure increases its cost many times. This designation means that any cultural property that is classified as Falling under the category of national treasures as per the laws of the country irrespective of the age and the value cannot be taken out of the country on a permanent basis.
Legacy and Continued Interest
Learning from the auction and the government's decision, it is important to admit that people's interest in Napoleon Bonaparte remains unquenchable, and the artifacts associated with his life are considered historically valuable. The pistols, now a national treasure, are still useful in reminding the people of the United States of the bitter last days of undoubtedly one of the most charismatic historical personas. While the French government is debating on whether or not to buy these weapons of history, the tale of Napoleon and his sorrow and survival remains moving and compelling.
Napoleon Bonaparte is still widely remembered and his personal belongings cause interest and high emotions and bids at auctions. The passion revealed by Americans to have his life and the dramatic situations that marked his story has not faded away; it is testified by the sale of the pistols. Since these pistols have been classified as the national treasures, they represent not only the Napoleon French's king personal concerns but also the general history of France during the particular time period.
The upcoming months will determine whether the French government will successfully acquire the pistols. Regardless of the outcome, the auction has once again highlighted the deep historical and cultural significance of artifacts associated with Napoleon Bonaparte, ensuring that his legacy endures in the annals of history.
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