Napoleon sword goes under gavel

New York – The dress sword carried by Napoleon Bonaparte when he staged a coup in 1799 will go under the hammer at the weekend with five other weapons that belonged to the French emperor.

The lot, which will be put up for auction until tomorrow by the Rock Island Auction Company, is valued at up to $3.5 million (about R56 million).

The sword, with its scabbard, is the “crown jewel” of the collection, said the auctioneers.

The weapon was made by Nicolas-Noel Boutet, who was director of the state arms factory in Versailles.