The sword, with its scabbard, is the “jewel” of the collection. (Represent)
New York:
U.S. auction houses have unveiled the sword carried by Napoleon Bonaparte when he staged a coup in 1799, and five of his other guns have been auctioned for more than $2.8 million.
Company president Kevin Hogan told AFP the parcel, which was put up for sale by Illinois-based Rock Island Auctions, was sold on December 3 by phone to an unnamed buyer.
The decorated sword and five pistols were originally valued between $1.5 million and $3.5 million.
With a $2.87 million sale, “the buyer of Napoleon Garniture is taking home a very rare piece of history,” Hogan said.
According to the auction house, the sword along with the scabbard is the “jewelry crown” of the collection.
The weapon was made by Nicolas-Noel Boutet, director of the state arms factory in Versailles.
After ascending the throne, Napoleon is said to have gifted the sword to the general Jean-Andoche Junot, but the general’s wife was later forced to sell it to pay the debt.
It was later restored by a museum in London. According to the auction house, an American collector was its last owner, but the man recently passed away.
In May, France celebrates the second anniversary of Napoleon’s death.
Corsican is renowned as one of the most divisive figures in French history, having contributed greatly to the founding of the modern state against imperialism and war.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
