Napoleon brooch sold at Geneva auction for CHF3.5 million

Napoleon's brooch sold at auction for around 3.5 million francs Keystone-SDA

A diamond-studded brooch once owned by Napoleon Bonaparte has been sold for CHF3.5 million at auction in Geneva.

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The auction house Sotheby’s announced that this was a record price.

According to the auction house, the piece of jewellery had previously been valued at an estimated price of CHF120,000 to CHF200,000. Presumably made around 1810 as hat jewellery, the self-crowned French emperor took the piece with him to the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

He had to leave the brooch behind when he fled, whereupon the piece of jewellery was confiscated by the Prussians. It was presented to King Frederick William III as a war trophy, then bequeathed to the German emperors and finally ended up in a private collection.

Meanwhile, another highlight was withdrawn from the auction at short notice. This was “The Glowing Rose” or “Radiant Rose”, a bright pink-coloured diamond that had been estimated in advance to be worth the equivalent of around CHF17 million.

Sotheby’s did not provide an explanation for the withdrawal on Wednesday evening, as the French news agency AFP was asked.

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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