The Fondation Napoléon has aquired ten lots at auction, souvenirs of the Second Empire from the Serena collection
To strengthen its Second Empire collection, the Fondation Napoléon has chosen to acquire a number of works at the auction of the Serena collection, which took place on 21 and 22 September 2024, organised by the Osenat auction house.
These include a rare bust of Emperor Napoleon III by the sculptor Jean-Auguste Barre and an important historical souvenir, namely a set of épaulettes and sash of Général de Division de la Garde Nationale that belonged to Louis-Napoleon when he was Prince-President.
In the interests of preventing this remarkable collection from being dispersed too widely, the Fondation Napoléon has acquired the following ten lots:
No. 79: Set of 3 volumes. Exposition universelle de 1867 illustrée (l’). Paris, s.n. (Paris, imprimerie générale de Ch. Lahure), 1867.
No. 82: Fontainebleau. Set of 2 volumes. DENECOURT (Claude-François) and F. HARDY.
N° 129: Bonaparte (Louis). Poésies [Poetry].
Florence, chez Guillaume Piatti, 1831. 2 volumes in one.
N° 126 : Set of 25 volumes. Voyages de Napoléon III. [Travels of Napoleon III].
N° 194 : Set of épaulettes and sash of Général de Division de la Garde Nationale that belonged to Prince-President Louis-Napoleon.
N° 205 : Jean-Auguste Barre (1811-1896) “Empereur Napoleon III” marble bust in hermes. Ht : 64 cm. Ht including the base : 170 cm. Signed on the side “A.BARRE Fit 1857” on a base of red marble. (an accident to the moustache has been repaired).
N° 223 : Beautiful door motif painted with the imperial coat of arms from the Emperor Napoleon III’s berline. Presented on a black lacquered medallion. 54 x 44 cm. verso with handwritten provenance label (faded) attributing this design to the car used in the Orsini assassination attempt.
N° 226 : Astonishing moustache set from one of Emperor Napoleon III’s coaches. Size of notebook: 10 x 6.5 cm. Size of mirror: 18 x 10.5 cm. Carrying an oval trough. Marked with a boar’s head. The whole set is fixed on a mahogany inlaid panel decorated with a lemon tree border. Height 26 x 50 cm.
N° 247 : A cut crystal glass goblet with the ‘E’ figure of the Empress Eugénie. The bowl is decorated with pearls and stars, figured in a shield ‘E’ framed by a series of flowers. Back decorated with a bouquet. Foot with gadroons. very good condition. Size overall: 10.5 cm. Diameter at lip: 8.2 cm.
N° 300 : Princess Mathilde (1820-1904). French school of the 19th century. ‘Portrait in profile of a woman in a striped cape’, large drawing in pencil, watercolour and gouache highlights. 47 x 34 cm.
The Fondation Napoléon’s collection, with over a thousand inventory numbers, is largely made up of works bequeathed by Martial Lapeyre (1904-1984), a famous industrialist with a passion for history and a great love of art. Since 1990, this initial collection has been steadily enriched, with a particular focus on rare objects that represent masterpieces of the national heritage.
Mise en ligne : 8 October 2024
