Sotheby’s is preparing to auction a rare and historically significant collection of Napoleonic artifacts on June 25 in Paris, highlighted by one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s famed bicorne hats, which could fetch over €800,000 (around $900,000). The hat is part of approximately 100 lots from the private archive of Pierre-Jean Chalençon, the French collector known for amassing what is now being described as a shrine to the Emperor.
The collection spans imperial furnishings, fine art, and deeply personal effects. Sotheby’s described the offering as “one of the most significant” Napoleonic collections ever presented publicly, reflecting both the grandeur and humanity of the French leader. Napoleon’s bicorne hat—crafted by his official hatmaker, Poupard—stands out not just for its condition and provenance, but for its symbolism. Napoleon wore his hats en bataille, sideways rather than front-to-back like his peers. This particular hat was gifted to General Mouton after his heroics in the Battle of Essling in 1809. Napoleon reportedly praised him, saying, “My mouton is a lion.”
Also included in the auction is a ceremonial herald’s sword and baton used during the 1804 coronation at Notre-Dame, estimated at €400,000, along with Napoleon’s personal gold and ebony seal, valued up to €250,000. The more intimate relics include his travel bed and even his worn stockings.
Chalençon, dubbed “France’s most famous antiques collector,” bought his first Napoleonic artifact at 18. Over four decades, he expanded his holdings into what is now a 1,000-piece archive. In 2015, he purchased the Palais Vivienne in Paris for €6 million and filled it with these relics, including a coronation ring featuring a 5.33-carat ruby. Though reports say he’s being forced to sell to cover a €10 million loan from Swiss Life Banque Privée, Chalençon told Le Parisien, “I am not riddled with debts. I am doing well.”
Ahead of the Paris sale, the collection will travel for preview exhibitions at Sotheby’s Hong Kong from May 23–27 and in New York from June 5–11. According to Marine de Cenival of Sotheby’s, the timing couldn’t be better: “Interest in Napoleon is at fever pitch,” she said in an interview with ARTnews, noting that collectors now have a rare chance to acquire a piece of French imperial history.
