Napoleon's sword sells for €4.7M, nearing record price
The piece, which Napoleon ordered in 1802 and kept throughout his reign, was sold for 4.66 million euros ($5.27 million) late Thursday, said the Drouot auctioneers, on whose premises the auction organised by the Giquello auction firm took place.
The sword had been estimated to reach 700,000 to one million euros when it came under the hammer in Paris.
The final price nearly broke the auction record for a Napoleonic artefact, set in 2007 when a sword used by Napoleon at the 1800 Battle of Marengo sold for 4.8 million euros.
'It joins the very select group of the most valuable Napoleonic artifacts ever sold at auction,' the Drouot auction house said.
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.
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 1.7 million euros, while one of his trademark 'bicorne' hats was acquired for 1.9 million euros in November 2023.
A hand-written letter from Napoleon denying his role in the kidnapping of Pope Pius VII in 1809 was sold in April for 26,360 euros.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Mihas 2025 to strengthen halal trade
Representatives engaging in business discussions at the International Sourcing Programme (INSP) during Mihas 2024, showcasing global partnerships and trade opportunities in the halal industry. PARIS: Malaysia is set to welcome global halal industry leaders to the 21st edition of the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (Mihas 2025), taking place from Sept 17 to 20 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) in Kuala Lumpur. Hosted by the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) and organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Mihas continues to serve as the world's largest halal trade exhibition — bringing together buyers, sellers and industry leaders from over 90 countries. This year, five French buyers from the modest fashion as well as food and beverage sectors are confirmed to participate in Mihas' flagship International Sourcing Programme (INSP). Their participation reflects the growing global recognition of halal certification as a mark of quality, traceability and ethical assurance for consumers worldwide, regardless of faith. 'Mihas is more than a trade event — it is a global platform for innovation, sustainability and quality,' said Malaysia's ambassador to France Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim. 'Halal is increasingly recognised worldwide as a value-based certification that ensures safety, cleanliness and integrity. 'Mihas is more than a trade event — it is a global platform for innovation, sustainability and quality,' said Eldeen Husaini. 'It is not just for Muslims — it represents a trusted system of quality control, traceability and ethical assurance for all consumers. I am delighted to see significant French participation this year, as Malaysia continues to build bridges across halal economies and open new avenues for global partnerships.' In line with current market trends, Mihas also showcases products that emphasise organic, vegan and sustainable practices, broadening its appeal to the conscious consumer segment worldwide According to the Halal Industry Master Plan (HIMP), demand for halal products is estimated at over US$3 trillion and is projected to reach US$ 5 trillion by 2030. 'Beyond Malaysia, Mihas is a strategic gateway to the wider Asean market of over 680 million people,' said Sebastien Chan Yik Sing, the newly appointed economic counsellor at the Embassy of Malaysia in Paris, succeeding Zuhaila Sedek. 'French buyers can leverage Mihas not only to source quality halal products, but also to connect with the fast-growing Asean market through Malaysia's trusted and well-established halal ecosystem.' As Malaysia assumes the Asean chairmanship in 2025, halal trade has been elevated as one of the Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs). Mihas 2025 will reflect this emphasis through special Asean and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) pavilions — further connecting regional and international halal markets. In 2024, Mihas recorded RM4.3bil in sales and welcomed over 43,000 visitors. The upcoming 21st edition, themed 'Pinnacle of Halal Excellence,' aims to surpass these milestones with a sales target of RM4.5bil, featuring cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) tools via the Madani Digital Trade (MDT) platform to enhance real-time sourcing, matchmaking and trade connections. For more information about Mihas and participation opportunities, visit
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Carrefour struggles to win back investors
The Carrefour logo is pictured in a supermarket in Sao Paulo, Brazil November 9, 2017. REUTERS/Nacho Doce PARIS: Carrefour SA pioneered hypermarkets in France and sold the brand around the world in an ambitious expansion that started more than five decades ago, reaching a market value that was once higher than that of luxury-goods empire LVMH. Since then, Carrefour's fortunes have waned as the chain struggles to compete in its cut-throat home market and retreats from overseas. Its business is worth a fraction of LVMH's, the current global flag bearer for French business, and chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Alexandre Bompard is struggling to convince investors that he can propel it through a transformation. Carrefour shares hit a 32-year low in June after JPMorgan Chase & Co placed the stock on negative catalyst watch and downgraded its estimates. Bompard responded by offloading flagging operations in Italy, and a better- than-expected sales print contributed to an uptick in shares. But that was quickly replaced by concerns over the grocer's future after years of stagnating profits. Investors are still asking the same question of Bompard from when he took the helm eight years ago – can he spur growth at Carrefour, when many previous CEOs have failed? Plenty of observers bet he can't. Carrefour is among the most-shorted grocery chains in Europe, with shares out on loan at 6% of the free float as of July 24, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The stock is still down about 10% this year, and in the last two decades, it's the only major European grocer to provide a negative return. — Bloomberg
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
French buyers to participate in flagship event at Mihas 2025 in September
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is set to welcome global halal industry leaders to the 21st edition of the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (Mihas 2025), which will take place from Sept 17 to 20 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Hosted by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) and organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Mihas continues to serve as the world's largest halal trade exhibition – bringing together buyers, sellers and industry leaders from more than 90 countries. This year, five French buyers from the modest fashion and food and beverage sectors are confirmed to participate in Mihas's flagship International Sourcing Programme. Malaysia's ambassador to France, Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim, said Mihas is more than a trade event – it is a global platform for innovation, sustainability and quality. 'Halal is increasingly recognised worldwide as a value-based certification that ensures safety, cleanliness and integrity. It is not just for Muslims – it represents a trusted system of quality control, traceability and ethical assurance for all consumers. I am delighted to see significant French participation this year, as Malaysia continues to build bridges across Halal economies and open new avenues for global partnerships,' he added. In line with current market trends, Mihas also showcases products that emphasise organic, vegan and sustainable practices, broadening its appeal to the conscious consumer segment worldwide According to the Halal Industry Master Plan, demand for halal products is estimated at over US$3 trillion (RM12.8 trillion) and is projected to reach US$5 trillion by 2030. 'Beyond Malaysia, Mihas is a strategic gateway to the wider Asean market of over 680 million people,' said Sebastien Chan Yik Sing, the newly appointed economic counsellor at the Malaysian embassy in Paris. 'French buyers can leverage Mihas not only to source quality halal products, but also to connect with the fast-growing Asean market through Malaysia's trusted and well-established halal ecosystem.' In 2024, Mihas recorded RM4.3 billion in sales and welcomed over 43,000 visitors. The upcoming 21st edition, themed 'Pinnacle of Halal Excellence', aims to surpass these milestones with a sales target of RM4.5 billion, featuring cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools via the Madani Digital Trade Platform to enhance real-time sourcing, matchmaking and trade connections.
