Napoleon's sword auctioned, expected to fetch over $1 million

Photo taken on April 25 shows the last sword belonging to French Emperor Napoleon before being auctioned on May 22 at the Drouot Hotel - Photo: AFP

According to AFP news agency, Emperor Napoleon ordered this sword in 1802 and kept it with him during his reign.

On April 25, auction company Giquello said they expected the sword to fetch between 700,000 and 1 million euros (equivalent to 800,000 and 1.1 million USD) when it was auctioned in Paris on May 22.

Emperor Napoleon bequeathed the sword to his close ally Emmanuel de Grouchy, whom the French emperor had appointed as the last "marshal" of the empire.

The sword has been kept in the Grouchy family since 1815 - the year that saw Emperor Napoleon's final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.

A second copy - identical to this sword, also commissioned by Emperor Napoleon, is kept at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Sword belonging to Emperor Napoleon is about to be auctioned - Photo: AFP

Last July, two guns that Emperor Napoleon intended to use to commit suicide were sold in France for 1.7 million euros, while his iconic bicorne hat set a record when it was bought for 1.9 million euros in November 2023.

A handwritten letter by Emperor Napoleon, in which he denies his role in the kidnapping of Pope Pius VII in 1809, will also be auctioned this weekend in France, with an expected price of 12,000 - 15,000 euros.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/dau-gia-thanh-kiem-cua-hoang-de-napoleon-ky-vong-dat-hon-1-trieu-usd-post286755.html