Napoleon’s Bi-Corne Hat Snuff Box

A heavy pressed horn snuff box in the form of Naopleon’s bi-corne hat, the coloured cockade inlaid to the front bisected by brass wire, the lid to the reverse pressed with a view of Napoleon’s column at Place Vendôme with a solitary attendant soldier and acompanying legend.

French circa 1860.

3 1/4 in x 1 7/8 in x 1 1/8 in

Between 1800 and 1815, the Parisian hatmaker, Poupard, supplied Napoleon with some 170 bicorne hats. Napoleon constantly had 12 hats in service, each of which had a three-year life span.

The original column at Place Vendôme was started in 1806 at Napoleon’s direction and completed in 1810. It was modelled on Trajan’s Column and commissioned to celebrate the Victory of Austerlitz. According to Napleon’s own propoganda, it’s veneer of 425 spiralling bas-relief bronze plates was made from cannon taken from the combined armies of Europe.