Bonhams to hold dedicated Napoleon auction
18 October 2021 With this year marking 200 years since the death of Napoleon Bonaparte, Bonhams is holding a special sale dedicated to the former French Emperor later this month.
A pencil, black and white chalk portrait of Napoleon by Andrea Appiani from c.1800. It is estimated at £40,000-60,000 at Bonhams.
Titled Napoleon Bonaparte: The British Sale, the auction takes place on October 27.
The cross-category sale will feature an array of historical items, ranging from jewellery and manuscripts to personal effects and paintings. Some of the lots relate to other historical figures of the age who were connected to Napoleon such as Joséphine Bonaparte, the Duke of Wellington, Admiral Lord Nelson and Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy.
An engraved bone apple corer likely crafted on St. Helena by one of Napoleon's guards from the 20th Regiment of Foot to commemorate his death on 5 May 1821. The carver may have been a bearer of his coffin. It is estimated at £3000-5000 at Bonhams.
Bonhams’ director of European business development and head of sale Simon Cottle said: “This extraordinary multi-disciplinary sale will explore the great Napoleon Bonaparte, his family and his marshals, together with his European and British adversaries – against the backdrop of famous battles, and Napoleon’s ambitions to create a unified Europe under the control of the French Empire. It is not only timely given the anniversary, but also Bonhams’ expansion in France. Certainly, the entente cordiale is still very much alive.”
Napoleon’s shirt embroidered with a crowned N in red silk above the left vent, worn on St. Helena, c.1815. It is estimated at £60,000-80,000 at Bonhams.
Among the highlights of the sale is a cane made for Napoleon while he was exiled on St. Helena (estimate: £70,000-90,000), Napoleon’s shirt worn on St Helena, one of only six known from his will (estimate: £60,000-80,000) and a horsehair bracelet woven from the mane of Wellington’s horse Copenhagen, on which the Iron Duke sat for 18 hours during the Battle of Waterloo (estimate: £2000-3000).
A rare letter written in English by Napoleon on St Helena to his companion in exile and English teacher, Emmanuel, Comte de Las Cases, dated 1816. It is estimated at £130,000-180,000 at Bonhams.
View the catalogue for Bonhams’ Napoleon Bonaparte: The British Sale on thesaleroom.com.
