A special event to celebrate fascinating historical objects relating to the surrender of Napoleon Bonaparte is being held in Derbyshire.
The ship deck timber the French emperor stood on when he handed himself over to the British more than 200 years ago, the sofa he slept on aboard ship and the skull of a goat which provided his milk are being offered by Hansons Auctioneers on October 31 in The Captain Maitland Collection: The Surrender of Napoleon Bonaparte July 15, 1815.
A drinks reception and talk by Napoleon expert Alan Goodearl will be held at Hansons’ Etwall saleroom, near Derby, on Thursday, October 17, 5-7.30pm. Alan, who has assisted Hansons’ research, will give a talk at 6.15pm.
Anyone interested in attending should email events organiser Rachael Morley: [email protected]
The finds are national treasures marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars, which raged from 1803 to 1815. The ship timber, later celebrated by being placed into a table for long-term commemoration, is guided at £40,000-£60,000. It incorporates a French coin tossed to a cabin boy by Napoleon as he took exile aboard British warship HMS Bellerophon. A plaque states:
‘Made of part of gangway of HMS Bellerophon, on which Bonaparte stepped when he surrendered off Rochefort, 1815. 5 Frc piece given by Bonaparte to E.Sones’
The heirlooms belong to the descendants of HMS Bellerophan’s captain Frederick Lewis Maitland (1777-1839), to whom Napoleon surrendered. Captain Maitland allocated his cabin to the defeated French emperor and later acquired the deck timber, sofa, £30,000-£50,000, and goat’s skull, £2,000-£3,000.
Napoleon is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history. He played a key role in the French Revolution from 1789-1799 and was Emperor of France from 1804 to 1815. The items were kept for posterity by Captain Maitland and, later, by his descendants for more than 200 years. After defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, Napoleon retreated to Rochefort, France. He pondered on escape to America but was blocked by the Royal Navy.
CLICK HERE to view The Captain Maitland Collection: The Surrender of Napoleon Bonaparte at www.hansonslive.co.uk | Auction October 31
Sale enquiries: [email protected] | 01283 733988
