94 - Revolver by Devisme in Paris, formerly owned by Prince Napoleon, the future Napoleon III:

Revolver by Devisme in Paris, formerly owned by Prince Napoleon, the future Napoleon III: Mariette percussion system, four rotating barrels for forced-load bullets, made of blued steel, engraved with foliage and damascened with silver; the first is engraved “DEVISME,” the second “ARQUEBUSIER,” the third “BT DES ITALIENS 36” and the last: “À PARIS”; 12 mm caliber; round stock, damascened throughout and engraved on the top with the initials “N B” surmounted by an imperial eagle; the inner side of the stock clamp is stamped: “J D”; ebony butt plates carved with foliage; length 19 cm. Presidency period. Good condition. Charles, Louis, Napoleon BONAPARTE, son of Louis BONAPARTE, King of Holland, brother of Napoleon I, and of Hortense de BEAUHARNAIS, born on April 20, 1808. After many twists and turns, he became Prince-President of the French Republic on December 10, 1848, and was crowned Emperor following the coup d’état of December 2, 1851; he reigned until September 4, 1870, and died in exile in Great Britain on January 9, 1873, in Chislehurst. DEVISME, Louis François, successor to DEBOUBERT in 1830, at 12 rue du Helder, then 36 boulevard des Italiens; he filed numerous patents for inventions from 1854 to 1860; he exhibited in Paris in 1839, 1844, 1849, 1855 (first-class medal), and 1867, and in London in 1851 and 1862; he supplied Emperor Napoleon III with some exquisite firearms. The second revolver in the pair was offered for sale in 2008 at CZERNY, lot no. 1642, where it sold for €22,000 at auction. PROVENANCE: former LEMASSON collection, auction of April 7 and 8, 2016, lot no. 66.