White Glove Sale" on October 19, 2022, at Aguttes in Neuilly-sur-Seine!

The auction house presented an extraordinary collection of nearly 800 letters from Napoleon to Cambacérès, notable for its size, significance, and historical value. While the overall estimate for this correspondence was set at €400,000, the sale reached a total of €1,299,020, with 6 preemptions enhancing this major success.

"Napoleonic correspondence is rarely available in France these days, and this sale achieved tremendous success. Half of this remarkable selection was purchased by foreign collectors," noted Sophie Perrine, auctioneer.

"Napoleon remains highly sought after by collectors. The letters presented were particularly interesting, explaining the intense bidding battles. Connoisseurs would have recognized this exceptional collection with its fascinating history," commented Thierry Bodin, expert.

Top 5 Lots of the Sale

  1. Lot 107 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 23 signed letters “Napol,” “Nap,” or “NP”: €46,854

  2. Lot 72 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 29 signed letters “Napol,” “Napoleon,” or “Nap”: €38,855

  3. Lot 73 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 29 signed letters “Napol,” “Nap,” or “NP”: €34,284

  4. Lot 101 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 5 signed letters “Nap” or “NP”: €34,284

  5. Lot 87 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 13 signed letters “Napoleon,” “Napole,” “Napo,” “Nap,” or “NP”: €33,712

All prices include fees.

     

Lot 107
Napoleon I (1769-1821)
23 signed letters "Napol," "Nap," or "NP," and one unsigned letter (autograph letter signed by Baron Fain), dated July 11 - August 15, 1813, to Archchancellor Cambacérès. Eight letters were written by Fain. Total: 26.5 pages and 8 half-pages in quarto format. [725-746]
Written in Germany, from the armistice to the resumption of hostilities, before the Battle of Dresden, and after the defeat at Vitoria in Spain.
Price: €46,854

Not only did all the lots find buyers, but they also exceeded their high estimates. Among the notable bidding wars, the collection of 23 letters (Lot 107), dictated by Napoleon in Germany during the armistice leading to renewed hostilities before the Battle of Dresden and after the defeat at Vitoria in Spain, doubled its high estimate, reaching €46,854.

6 Preemptions

  • Lot 27 - Preempted by the Musée de la Légion d'Honneur: €5,942

  • Lot 32 - Preempted by the Departmental Archives of Seine-Maritime: €5,714

  • Lot 97 - Preempted by the National Archives: €21,713

  • Lot 98 - Preempted by the National Archives: €13,713

  • Lot 99 - Preempted by the National Archives: €18,284

  • Lot 102 - Preempted by the National Archives: €15,999

These preemptions further honored this remarkable collection, with one by the Musée de la Légion d'Honneur, another by the Departmental Archives of Seine-Maritime, and four by the National Archives, including Lot 97, which reached €21,713.

     

Lot 97
Napoleon I (1769-1821)
14 signed letters "Napol," "Nap," or "NP," dated June 19 - July 26, 1812, to Archchancellor Cambacérès. These letters were penned by Méneval, Fain (3), or Mounier (1), totaling 6 pages and 9 half-pages in quarto format. [624-637]
Campaign beginnings in Russia.
Price: €21,713

Thrilling International Bidding Battles for a "White Glove" Sale

This niche specialty of Napoleonic correspondence received a true ovation! Napoleon’s allure remains undiminished, as bidders from around the world—on the phone, online, and in the auction room—contributed to the success of this sale, featuring 112 lots. Watching the online bidding platforms, Maître Perrine noted, "We are followed everywhere. And now we have another bid from even farther away." Enthusiastic bidders from Belgium, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, as well as Brazil, Hong Kong, and Israel followed the well-paced auction closely. Over the phone, a European collector specializing in Napoleon ultimately won 58% of the lots after engaging in extended bidding duels, especially with a competing bidder on another line.

     

Lot 72
Napoleon I (1769-1821)
29 signed letters “Napol,” “Napoleon,” or “Nap,” one with an autograph correction, and 2 unsigned letters, dated Osterode, February 23 - March 26, 1807, to Archchancellor Cambacérès. The letters were written by Méneval (one by Fain), totaling 29 pages and 12 half-pages in quarto format.
[307-331, 333-338]
Period: Stay in Osterode before the resumption of the Polish campaign. Cambacérès noted on most letters: “copy in full.”
Price: €38,855

Historical Testimonies: A Remarkable Collection

These letters, dictated by Napoleon and transcribed primarily by his secretaries Bourrienne, Méneval, and Fain, bear his signature, and occasionally, he added words or corrections in his own hand. The earliest letters are addressed by the First Consul Bonaparte to Consuls Cambacérès and Lebrun, later exclusively to Cambacérès, with whom he shared a special relationship. Upon becoming Emperor, Napoleon appointed Cambacérès as Archchancellor of the Empire, and their correspondence often began with “My cousin” and ended with “On this, I pray God to keep you in His holy and worthy care.” Cambacérès frequently annotated the letters, often briefly (“copy in full”) and sometimes more extensively. The letters were previously numbered from 1 to 801; these numbers are noted in brackets at the end of each description.

Upcoming Auctions

  • Sale No. 53 - 500 Years of Letters and Manuscripts: Fine Arts, Music, Literature, and History on November 10, 2022, at Drouot Estimations, Drouot

  • Sale No. 54 - Literature: Online-Only Sale on Drouot online, from November 10 to 24, 2022

  • Sale No. 55 - ORIGINE(S): 2000 Years of Writings: From Papyrus to Printed Book

    • Public Exhibition: November 14-15, 2022, 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm; November 16, 2022, 10 am to 1 pm. Other dates by appointment.

    • Public Auction: Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 2 pm

    • Aguttes Neuilly, 164 bis Avenue Charles-de-Gaulle, Neuilly-sur-Seine

Contact
Sophie Perrine, Licensed Auctioneer
+33 1 41 92 06 44 • perrine@aguttes.com