Napoleon's Hat Sells for $2.1 Million at Paris Auction

A horned hat believed to have belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte was sold for a record price of €1.932 million ($2.11 million) at an auction conducted by the Drouot auction house in Paris today, Sunday. The initial valuation for the hat ranged between €600,000 and €800,000. An auction house official stated, "The price of this hat surpassed that of another one belonging to Napoleon, which was sold at an auction by the house in 2014 for €1.884 million." Jean-Pierre Osenat, who managed today’s auction, told Reuters before it started that "the black horned hat was a distinctive emblem of Napoleon, who owned about 120 of them throughout his life." He added, "This hat was part of the self-image that Napoleon built for himself." Hats belonging to Napoleon have previously been auctioned. In October 2021, a recently discovered hat was sold at a public auction held by Bonhams in London after its ownership by Napoleon was confirmed through DNA evidence.