A saber that once belonged to French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was sold at auction in Paris for 4.66 million euros (over 5 million dollars), nearly setting a world record for a Napoleonic artifact. The sale took place on Thursday, May 22, at the Hôtel Drouot, organized by the auction house Giquello. The identity of the buyer has not been disclosed.
The saber, which symbolizes Napoleon's accession to power, was initially estimated to sell for between 700,000 and 1 million euros. Designed by Nicolas-Noël Boutet, director of the Manufacture of Versailles and recognized as the greatest gunsmith of his time, the saber was commissioned by Napoleon between 1802 and 1803, when he was First Consul of France, and was delivered in 1804.
"This saber brings together everything great collectors seek: a masterpiece loaded with history and with impeccable provenance," said Alexandre Giquello, director of the firm that sold the object, according to El Mundo. "Its passage under the hammer will remain one of the great moments of the year at the auctions at Drouot. For an auctioneer, it is a rare privilege to present for sale such an emblematic piece."
After becoming Emperor, Napoleon retained the saber throughout his reign. In 1815, following his return from exile on Elba, he entrusted the saber to his close ally Emmanuel de Grouchy, whom he appointed as the last Marshal of the Empire. Since then, the prestigious weapon has been kept by the descendants of Marshal de Grouchy.
An identical copy of the saber is preserved in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The sale approached the world record for a Napoleonic artifact, coming close to the 4.8 million euros set in 2007 for a sword used by Napoleon in the Battle of Marengo in 1800.
The saber is among the most expensive items from Napoleon's possessions ever auctioned. Napoleonic artifacts are regularly auctioned in France, and the market for buying and selling them is prosperous, especially due to the intense interest of collectors.
Nicolas-Noël Boutet, the craftsman behind the saber, was renowned for his craftsmanship and was known in his era as one of the greatest makers of firearms of the carbine type. The saber is not only a piece of weaponry but also a work of art reflecting Napoleon's taste and status.
In recent years, several of Napoleon's possessions have fetched high prices at auctions. In July of the previous year, two pistols that Napoleon once intended to use for suicide were sold for 1.7 million euros. Additionally, one of his iconic bicorne hats was sold in November 2023 for 1.9 million euros.
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