Fontainebleau, France – After more than 200 years in the family, the gold- encrusted sword Napoleon Bonaparte carried into battle in Italy will be auctioned off today, across from one of his castles.
The intricately decorated blade is 32 inches long and curves gently, an inspiration from Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign, auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said.
“He noticed that the Arab swords, which were curved, were very effective in cutting off French heads” and ordered an imitation upon his return, Osenat said.
The last of Napoleon’s swords in private hands, it has an estimated value of at least $1.6 million, said the Osenat auction house.
Declared a national treasure in 1978, the sword can be sold to a foreign buyer, but the owner must have an address in France and keep the weapon in France five to six months of the year, said Jean-Christophe Chataignier, an imperial expert at Osenat.
The sword was worn by Napoleon – before he was emperor – in the June 1800 battle of Marengo, where he launched a surprise attack to push the Austrian army from Italy, Chataignier said.
The sword was given to his brother as a wedding present, the auction house said.
The sword is uncommonly ornate, with geometric designs in gold covering the hilt and most of the blade.
“It’s at the same time a weapon of war and a very beautiful work of art,” Osenat said.
