FONTAINEBLEAU, France: A gold-encrusted sword Napoleon wore into battle in Italy was sold on Sunday for more than $6.4 million at an auction south of Paris, the auction house said.
The last of Napoleon s swords in private hands, it had been expected to fetch more than $1.6 million, the Osenat auction house, managing the sale, said.
Osenat did not identify the buyer, but said the sword will remain in Napoleon s family, which had put it up for sale in the first place. The emperor gave it to his brother, Jerome, as a wedding gift in 1805 – and it had remained among their descendants ever since.
Applause rang out in a packed auction hall across the street from one of Napoleon s imperial castles in Fontainebleau, a town southeast of Paris where the sword was sold.
The intricately decorated blade is 97 cm in length and curves gently – based on an inspiration Napoleon drew from his Egyptian campaign, auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said.
The sword was carried by Napoleon – who was not yet Emperor – into the battle of Marengo in June 1800, where he launched a surprise attack to push the Austrian army from Italy and seal France s victory, auction house officials said.
The sword was declared a national treasure in 1978, meaning that under French law it could be sold to a foreign buyer but had to remain in France for at least five months per year.
The sale ended up being a family affair. Before the auction, its joint owners were eight direct descendants of Napoleon. Strong enough for battle, the sword is uncommonly ornate – with geometric designs in gold covering the hilt and most of the blade.
