A Pair Of Pistols Owned By Napoleon Bonaparte Sold For IDR 29 Billion, His Status Is National Treasure

Napoleon's pistol was auctioned off. (Instagram/Osenat)

JAKARTA - Two Goassard flintlock pistols once owned by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte have been sold in auction for 1.69 million euros (Rp29,740,441,400).

The weapons were sold at the French Oceanate auction hall in Fontainebleau, just outside Paris, on Sunday last week. The initial price is estimated at 1.2 million euros - 1.5 million euros.

According to the auctioneer, the gun was given to Napoleon's friend and bodyguard, Armand de Caulaincourt, just after the emperor attempted suicide in April 1814, according to CNN July 8.

Prior to that date, Napoleon had fought in a series of battles against the European coalition of countries formed in response to his invasion of Russia.

Although Napoleon won a number of these battles, Paris fell to the allied coalition on March 31, 1814.

According to Osenat, in the days before the suicide attempt, Caulaincourt said, "Napoleon has been talking about how to commit suicide for days." The Emperor "often checks his gun, removes bullets from his gun" during that time, according to Osenat, as Callalaincourt said.

Osenat said Napoleon finally attempted suicide by using poison after signing the Fontainebleau Agreement. He survived the experiment, took the throne and exiled to Elba, an island off the coast of Italy.

Osenat told CNN the guns were declared National Treasure by the French government a week before they were sold, meaning the guns could not leave France.

"This pair of pistols symbolizes the fall, the end, to the throne" of the French emperor, auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said in a video uploaded by the auction house.

"Napoleon fell from the peak of power. With this pair of weapons, he considered suicide," he added.

"Therefore, the gun symbolizes the end, the image of the fall."

The weapons were sold in a Burr walnut box with black wood. The cover of the box is covered with green verifying which is embroidered with the letter N, which is limited by flower embroidery. The box and two weapons also contained Napoleon's code.

Last November, Osenat sold one of Napoleon's famous black caps for a record price of 1.932 million euros (Rp33,999,131,826).