A faded and cracked felt bicorne hat worn by Napoleon Bonaparte sold for £1.7 million ($2.1 million) at an auction of the French emperor’s belongings.
The signature broad, black hat – one of a handful still in existence that Napoleon wore when he ruled 19th-century France and waged war in Europe – was initially valued at €600,000 to €800,000 (£525,000 – £700,000)
It was the centrepiece of Sunday’s auction in Fontainebleau, Paris, of memorabilia collected by a French industrialist who died last year.
The hat on sale was first recovered by Col. Pierre Baillon, a quartermaster under Napoleon, according to the auctioneers.
