One of Napoleon’s Signature Bicorne Hats on Auction in France Could Fetch Upwards of $650,000

One of the signature broad, black hats that Napoléon wore when he ruled 19th century France and waged war in Europe is on display at Osenat's auction house in Fontainebleau, south of Paris on Nov. 17, 2023. Christophe Ena/AP Photo

FONTAINEBLEAU, France—One of the signature broad, black bicorne hats that Napoleon Bonaparte wore when he ruled 19th-century France and waged war in Europe is expected to fetch upwards of 600,000 euros ($650,000) at an auction Sunday.

Other history-laden items in the sale of industrialist Jean-Louis Noisiez’s collection of Napoleonic memorabilia include a silver plate looted from Napoleon’s carriage after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It also includes a wooden vanity case he owned, with razors, a silver toothbrush, scissors, and other personal belongings.