Napoleon letter sells at auction

Devenish · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:33 am

It's not only Nelson's letters that sell for high prices at auction. Those of his arch enemy do quite nicely as well, as shown by the sale of this letter written by Napoleon Buonaparte, outlining his plan to burn down the Kremlin in 1812, which was successful in part. The letter sold for £122,000, and is to remain in Paris:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20572136

tycho · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:38 pm

I can't help quoting the wise words of Biggles, with whose sentiments His Lordship would sincerely concur:

'Never trust a man who admires Napoleon.'

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

I don't claim to know much about Napoleon (wish I knew more) but I heard someone talking about him on the radio the other day.

He said that Napoleon suffered from various phobias:

Cats was one

Open doors was another.

Odd!!

MB

Devenish · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:18 am

Perhaps he suffered from catophobia and openophobia?

He certainly wouldn't have liked our flat then, as have three cats and the only door that is normally kept closed is the front door. (I don't think he would have minded the bust of Nelson though, and I do have at least one book about him - Napoleon that is!) :wink:

Trimmer · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:17 pm **Posts:** 88

I'm sure I read somewhere that Napoleon had a bust of Nelson, which he kept on a desk. Is that correct, or did I imagine it?

Devenish · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 1:16 pm

No, I don't think you imagined it, as I have read that a few times too. However, I don't have any reference at the moment.

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

Trimmer wrote:

I'm sure I read somewhere that Napoleon had a bust of Nelson, which he kept on a desk. Is that correct, or did I imagine it?

At the moment the earliest reference I can find to this is in Carola Oman's biography..

The NMM book "Nelson & Napoleon" states: "British visitors to the Tuileries during the Peace of Amiens noticed a bust of Nelson in the First Consul's dressing-room".

MB

Trimmer · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:17 pm **Posts:** 88

Just been flicking through a few of my books and eventually found where I believe I read it. From Tom Pocock's 'The Terror Before Trafalgar':
Napoleon Bonaparte was fascinated by the islanders who had fought him with such determination; so intrigued was he by their contradictions that he kept busts of his apparent supporter Charles James Fox and his arch-enemy Horatio Nelson on a mantelpiece.
That's been bugging me all day, I can relax again now!

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

I'm always interested in tracing things like this back to an early source.

It looks as if there may be a mention in the published diaries of Joseph Farington. But there are lots of volumes and it might take a lot of work and then end up as a wild goose chase.

If I do happen to trace anything I'll report back.

MB

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

Phew - I managed to find what I was looking for.

This is from Joseph Farington's description of a visit made to the Tuileries in 1802. The Tuileries was Napoleon's official residence.

So the bust wasn't exactly on Napoleon's desk - not at this time anyway. But still very interesting . . .

Starhawk · **Joined:** Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:41 pm **Posts:** 151

What a coincidence... I was flicking through Richard Walker's The Nelson Portraits this morning (looking for references to the fact that the chelengk in Abbott's portrait of Nelson doesn't look all that much like the real thing) and happened to notice the bust by Mrs Damer. I think it makes Nelson look a little too young.

I can't imagine Nelson returning the compliment by keeping a bust of Napoleon, except maybe to throw stuff at it.

Nelson & His World

Napoleon letter sells at auction

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