US auctioneers have announced that the sword Napoleon Bonaparte carried when he led the 1799 coup d’état in France, and five of his firearms sold at auction for nearly $2.9 million.
Company president Kevin Hogan told AFP that the item, which was offered for sale by Illinois-based Rock Island Auction, was sold on December 3 by phone to an unidentified buyer.
The sword and five decorated pistols were initially estimated to be worth between $1.5 million to $3.5 million.
With the $2.87 million sale of Napoleon Bonaparte’s collectibles, Hogan said, “the buyer is taking home an extremely rare historical piece.”
“We are pleased to give them the opportunity to acquire such a historic object,” he added.
The sword attached to the sheath, the most important piece in the collection, was made in the workshop of gunsmith Nicolas Noel Petit in the Versailles region near Paris, and was carried by Napoleon Bonaparte during the coup d’état of November 9, 1799, according to the “Rock Island Auction Company”, which defines itself as “the world leader in Sale of firearms, knives and military equipment destined for collectors.
After his coronation as emperor, Napoleon is believed to have given the sword to General Jean-Andoche Junot, but the general’s wife was later forced to sell it to pay off debts.
Today is the big day! What you do you think the Napoleon garniture will bring during Day 1 of our December Premier Auction?
Lot 335: https://t.co/TkNqIAevgG pic.twitter.com/kzy6K9fuEc— Rock Island Auction (@RIAuction) December 3, 2021
