Napoleon’s Personal Sabre to be Auctioned at Drouot

“There are only two powers in the world: the sword and the mind...”
— Napoleon Bonaparte

A symbol of his rise to power, Bonaparte’s sabre—commissioned as he became Napoleon—is a remarkable work of art and history, with a prestigious provenance. Its attribution is indisputable, based on two elements that allow the commission to be precisely dated. At the time First Consul, Bonaparte ordered this sabre between 1802 and 1803 from Nicolas-Noël Boutet, director of the Versailles arms factory and the most esteemed gunsmith of his era. Forged in Klingenthal, the fully damascened blade displays an extraordinary level of craftsmanship, with one side inscribed “N Bonaparte” and the other “Premier Consul”. It is signed and dated: Isch Graveur An XI (23 September 1802 – 22 September 1803).

Nicolas-Noël Boutet, sabre from the Versailles arms factory
of the First Consul Bonaparte, later Emperor, presented to Marshal Grouchy in 1815
Consulate – First Empire
Estimate: €700,000 – €1,000,000

This masterpiece required several months of work before being delivered in 1804 to the newly proclaimed Emperor of the French. Enthralled by its quality, Napoleon kept the sabre for personal use throughout his reign. He later commissioned an identical second version, now held at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The design chosen by Napoleon was directly inspired by Ottoman art discovered during the Egyptian campaign. Known as a “Turkish-style” sabre, and emblematic of the Retour d’Égypte aesthetic, it is a piece of exceptional quality and a perfect embodiment of French excellence.