Napoleon's iconic hat breaks record in Paris

An iconic hat once worn by Napoleon Bonaparte has sold for a record amount in Paris. It is believed that there are only twenty examples in existence worldwide, many of which are in private collections. 

The black bicorne beaver felt hat, one of twenty extant examples belonging to the French emperor, is known for its sideways wear, a signature style Napoleon created to distinguish himself on the battlefield. 

The increased retail price is partly attributed to the excitement surrounding the recent release of Ridley Scott's Napoleon biopic, starring Joaquin Phoenix. Initially estimated at €600.000 to €800.000, the final sales price surpassed the previous record price of €1.8 million. This amount was paid for another hat in 2014. During the recent auction by Veilinghuis Drouot, the hat eventually went under the hammer for € 1.9 million. 

Holy Grail

The hat was sold along with other Napoleon items at a special Napoleon memorabilia auction. A silver plate and a wooden toiletry bag that he owned with razors, toothbrush and scissors also had to be auctioned off. 

However, auctioneer Jean Pierre Osenat believes that the beaver felt hat is a true holy grail: 'People recognized this hat everywhere. When they saw him on the battlefield, they knew immediately that Napoleon was there. But also in private: he always had the hat on his head or in his hand and very occasionally he threw it on the ground. That was the image – the symbol of the emperor.” 

A felt hat worn by Napoleon Bonaparte during his reign as French emperor fetched a record $2.1 million at the Drouot auction house in Paris https://t.co/5wQTn0ZbiI pic.twitter.com/Nr2GPErJjj

- Reuters (@Reuters) November 20, 2023