"WHITE GLOVE" SALE : 800 LETTERS FROM NAPOLEON TO CAMBACÉRÈS
THE ARISTOPHIL COLLECTIONS
"White Glove" Sale on October 19, 2022, at Aguttes in Neuilly-sur-Seine !
The auction house presented an exceptional collection of nearly 800 letters from Napoleon to Cambacérès, remarkable for its quantity, significance, and historical value. While the overall estimate for this correspondence was €400,000, it achieved a total of €1,299,020, with six preemptions further amplifying this major success.
“In recent years, there has been very little Napoleonic correspondence available in France, and this sale was an immense success. This remarkable selection was purchased half by foreign collectors.”
—Sophie Perrine, Auctioneer
“Napoleon remains highly sought after by collectors. The letters presented were particularly intriguing, which explains the fierce bidding wars. Connoisseurs will have noted this exceptional collection with its absolutely fascinating history.”
— Thierry Bodin, Expert
Top 5 of the Sale
Lot 107 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 23 signed letters ("Napol," "Nap," or "NP"): €46,854
Lot 72 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 29 signed letters ("Napol," "Napoleon," or "Nap"): €38,855
Lot 73 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 29 signed letters ("Napol," "Nap," or "NP"): €34,284
Lot 101 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 5 signed letters ("Nap" or "NP"): €34,284
Lot 87 – Napoleon I (1769-1821), 13 signed letters ("Napoleon," "Napole," "Napo," "Nap," or "NP"): €33,712
All prices include fees
See full auction results
Lot 107
Napoleon I (1769–1821)
23 signed letters ("Napol," "Nap," or "NP"), and one unsigned letter (an autograph letter signed by Baron FAIN), dated July 11–August 15, 1813, addressed to Archchancellor CAMBACÉRÈS. Eight letters were written by Fain; 26.5 pages and 8 half-pages in quarto format. [725–746]
Written in Germany, from the armistice to the resumption of hostilities, leading up to the Battle of Dresden, and following the defeat at Vitoria in Spain.
€46,854
Not only did all the lots find buyers, but they exceeded their high estimates. Among the notable bidding wars was the collection of 23 letters (Lot 107), dictated by Napoleon in Germany during the period between the armistice and the resumption of hostilities, just before the Battle of Dresden and after the defeat at Vitoria in Spain. This lot doubled its high estimate, soaring to €46,854.
6 Preemptions
Lot 27 : Preempted by the Musée de la Légion d’Honneur – €5,942
Lot 32 : Preempted by the Seine-Maritime Departmental Archives – €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
Preemptions further highlighted the significance of this remarkable collection: one by the Musée de la Légion d’Honneur, one by the Seine-Maritime Departmental Archives, and four by the National Archives, including Lot 97 (€21,713).
Lot 97
Napoleon I (1769–1821)
14 signed letters ("Napol," "Nap," or "NP"), dated June 19–July 26, 1812, addressed to Archchancellor CAMBACÉRÈS. The letters were written by Méneval, Fain (3), or Mounier (1); 6 pages and 9 half-pages in quarto format. [624–637]
Start of the Russian Campaign.
€21,713
Fierce International Bidding Wars for a "White Glove" Sale
A true celebration for this niche specialty of historical correspondence! Napoleon continues to captivate... From all over the globe, bidders on the phone, online, and in the auction room contributed to the success of this sale, which featured 112 lots. Watching the screens of online platforms, Maître Perrine remarked during the sale : "We are being followed everywhere. And now we have a bid from even further away."
Bidders from countries including Belgium, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain actively participated. Enthusiasts in Brazil, Hong Kong, and Israel also followed this well-paced auction. Over the phone, a European collector of Napoleonic items won 58% of the lots after intense bidding battles, particularly with another phone bidder.
Lot 72
Napoleon I (1769–1821)
29 signed letters ("Napol," "Napoleon," or "Nap"), including one with an autograph correction, and 2 unsigned letters, dated February 23–March 26, 1807, from Osterode to Archchancellor CAMBACÉRÈS. The letters were written by Méneval (one by Fain); 29 pages and 12 half-pages in quarto format. [307–331, 333–338]
Stay in Osterode before the resumption of the Polish Campaign.
On most letters, Cambacérès noted, "copy in full" at the top.
€38,855
Testimonies of History: A Remarkable Collection
The letters, dictated by Napoleon, were written by his secretaries—primarily Bourrienne, Méneval, and Fain—and signed by him, often with added words or corrections in his own hand. The early letters were addressed by First Consul Bonaparte to Citizens Consuls Cambacérès and Lebrun, and later exclusively to Cambacérès, with whom he developed a close relationship. When Napoleon became Emperor, he appointed Cambacérès as Archchancellor of the Empire. From then on, the letters typically began with the salutation "My cousin," acknowledged the receipt of Cambacérès' letters, and ended with the formula:
"On this, I pray to God that He may have you in His holy and worthy care." Many of these letters were annotated by Cambacérès, often briefly with phrases like "copy in full," and sometimes with longer notes. They were originally numbered from 1 to 801, with these numbers indicated in brackets at the end of the descriptions.
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Upcoming Auctions
Auction No. 53
500 Years of Letters and Manuscripts – Fine Arts, Music, Literature, and History, November 10, 2022. At Drouot Estimations, Drouot
Auction No. 54
Literature – Online Only Sale on Drouot Online, November 10–24, 2022. Final Aristophil Auction: November 16, 2022
Auction No. 55
ORIGINE(S) – 2,000 Years of Writings: From Papyrus to the Printed Book
Public Exhibition :
November 14 and 15, 2022: 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2 p.m.–6 p.m.
November 16, 2022: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Other dates by appointment.
Public Auction :
Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 2 p.m.
Aguttes Neuilly – 164 bis, avenue Charles-de-Gaulle, Neuilly-sur-Seine
Sophie Perrine
Licensed Auctioneer
+33 1 41 92 06 44 • perrine@aguttes.com