Artcurial will present a unique collection of historical souvenirs from the First and Second Empires on April 1, sourced from the collection of a passionate enthusiast from Southwest France.

Spanning from the French Revolution to the Paris Commune, this collection brings together remarkable testimonies of history that evoke the tumult of the battlefields, the refined atmosphere of the Directoire salons, the sound of trumpets in the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the scent of ink on military staff maps.

The auction, comprising 370 lots, will include the extraordinary Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Rue Crown by Napoleon I, which was taken by the Prussians from the imperial carriages following the defeat at Waterloo. Additionally, a rare personal firearm of Emperor Napoleon I from Maison Lepage will be presented, previously exhibited by the Bro de Commère family during the 1900 World Exposition.

Elements of a significant collection will include a gilded and enameled presentation box, adorned with diamonds and featuring the monogram of Emperor Napoleon III, as well as two large portraits of the imperial couple, painted by the studio of Franz-Xaver Winterhalter, illustrating the Second Empire.