03:15Napoleon's boots up for auction in Paris
Leather boots believed to have been worn by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in his St. Helena exile are being exhibited in Paris' Drouot auction house until the highest bidder takes them home.
Footage shot on Wednesday shows the boots, which are estimated to be a current EU size 40 (7 US).
According to historians the boots were lent to sculptor Mario Marochetti, who was commissioned to create a statue of the emperor on horseback. The sculptor's son subsequently gifted the boots to French politician Paul Le Roux, a minister under Bonaparte's nephew Napoleon III. The boots were kept by Le Roux's family since.
"From experience, I know that this audience is extremely international. There are of course many amateurs in France, but also many abroad especially in the Asian countries where Napoleon represents the ultimate symbol of courage, daring, martial intelligence and all the qualities very popular in those countries," stated auctioneer Alexandre Giquello, adding that he estimates that the boots will go for "between 50,000 (55,018 USD) and 80,000 (88,029 USD) euros."
The auction of the boots is set to be held on 29 November.
03:15Leather boots believed to have been worn by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in his St. Helena exile are being exhibited in Paris' Drouot auction house until the highest bidder takes them home.
Footage shot on Wednesday shows the boots, which are estimated to be a current EU size 40 (7 US).
According to historians the boots were lent to sculptor Mario Marochetti, who was commissioned to create a statue of the emperor on horseback. The sculptor's son subsequently gifted the boots to French politician Paul Le Roux, a minister under Bonaparte's nephew Napoleon III. The boots were kept by Le Roux's family since.
"From experience, I know that this audience is extremely international. There are of course many amateurs in France, but also many abroad especially in the Asian countries where Napoleon represents the ultimate symbol of courage, daring, martial intelligence and all the qualities very popular in those countries," stated auctioneer Alexandre Giquello, adding that he estimates that the boots will go for "between 50,000 (55,018 USD) and 80,000 (88,029 USD) euros."
The auction of the boots is set to be held on 29 November.