Napoleon's sword to be sold at auction in Paris

5:00 pm on 27 April 2025

This photograph taken in Paris on April 25, 2025 shows details of the last sword that belonged to French Emperor Napoleon before its auction on May 22 at Hotel Drouot. The Giquello's auction house unveils the flagship lot of the next edition of Tentation, the sword Napoleon commissioned for his personal use from the great harquebusier Nicolas-Noel Boutet in 1802. The Emperor kept it until the end of his reign, before giving it to Emmanuel de Grouchy, the last Marshal of the Empire. Kept since 1815 by the marshal's descendants, it will be auctioned for the first time on 22 May at Hotel Drouot. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

The last sword that belonged to French Emperor Napoleon. Photo: AFP / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

A sword that belonged to Napoleon and was specially ordered for the personal use of the French emperor is to be auctioned in Paris next month, the auction house said.

Napoleon ordered the sabre in 1802 and kept it throughout his reign.

The Giquello auction firm said on Friday it expected the sword to reach €700,000 to €1 million (NZ$1.3m to NZ$1.9m) when it goes under the hammer in Paris on 22 May.

Napoleon passed the sabre on to his close ally Emmanuel de Grouchy, who the French emperor named his last marshal of the empire.

The sword has been in Grouchy's family since 1815, the year of Napoleon's last defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.

This photograph taken in Paris on April 25, 2025 shows the last sword that belonged to French Emperor Napoleon before its auction on May 22 at Hotel Drouot. The Giquello's auction house unveils the flagship lot of the next edition of Tentation, the sword Napoleon commissioned for his personal use from the great harquebusier Nicolas-Noel Boutet in 1802. The Emperor kept it until the end of his reign, before giving it to Emmanuel de Grouchy, the last Marshal of the Empire. Kept since 1815 by the marshal's descendants, it will be auctioned for the first time on 22 May at Hotel Drouot. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

The last sword that belonged to French Emperor Napoleon. Photo: AFP / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

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

Napoleon memorabilia regularly comes up for sale at auction in France in a flourishing trade marked by intense interest from collectors.

Two pistols that he once intended to use to kill himself were sold in France last July for €1.7m (NZ$3.3m), while one of his trademark "bicorne" hats set a record price for his possessions when it was acquired for €1.9m (NZ$3.6m) in November 2023.

A hand-written letter from Napoleon denying his role in the kidnapping of Pope Pius VII in 1809 is to go under the hammer this weekend outside Paris and is expected to reach €12,000 to €15,000 (NZ$23,000 to NZ$29,000).

- AFP