France bans export of Napoleon\'s pistols shortly before auction

The pistols should have been auctioned off by auction houses Osenat and Rossini in Fontainebleau, Paris, on a Sunday. In the city stands the castle, in which Napoleon attempted suicide after his defeat in the French campaign.

France has banned the export of a pair of pistols that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte, shortly before they were set to be auctioned off.

The pistols were due to be sold by auction houses Osenat and Rossini in Fontainebleau, south of Paris, on Sunday.

The 19th-century castle in Fontainebleau is where Napoleon is said to have attempted suicide after his defeat in the French campaign.

But his valet, the Marquis de Caulaincourt, had removed the powder from the pistols, which were made for the emperor by a gunsmith from Versailles, auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat told the AFP news agency.

"Napoleon then took poison. He had to surrender and did not commit suicide," Osenat added.

The emperor gave the pistols to his valet in gratitude for his loyalty.

"They have been in the family's possession ever since, and they have decided to part with them," Osenat said.

The pistols, which are decorated with gold and silver and come in a precious wooden box, feature an engraved image of the emperor.

They are valued at €1.2-€1.5 million ($1.3-$1.6 million), according to Osenat.

The export ban gives the French state 30 months to make an offer for the pistols.

The owner has the right to refuse the offer.

If the state does not purchase the weapons, the export ban will be lifted and they can be sold abroad.

Memorabilia related to Napoleon is highly sought after by collectors: his famous black two-edged sword with decorations in the French national colors fetched a record €1.9 million at an auction in November.

After abdicating, Napoleon went into exile on the island of Elba, off the coast of Italy.

He soon grew bored and returned to France in dramatic fashion, but his career was finally ended when he was defeated by the British at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

He died in exile on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic six years later.

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