A snuff box used by Napoleon while on exile is on for sale for $57,869 - as collectors say he "snorted it like a 70s rock star.''
The French general is believed to have used the snuff box daily during his imprisonment on the isle of St Helena in the Atlantic.
After his historic defeat at the Battle of Waterloo Napoleon was exiled - taking it with him as he was a habitual user of the sniffing tobacco.
Just three days after his death his female attendant gifted the snuff box to a British lieutenant who had been guarding Napoleon on the island.
The married attendant, Madame Bertrand, had been present in the room when Napoleon died.
After his historic defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to the isle of St. Helena in the Atlantic - taking with him his snuff box. (Paul Fraser Collectibles viaSWNS)
In 1808 Napoleon had forced Madame Bertrand to marry his aide-de-campe, despite her stating she would sooner marry “the Pope’s monkey”.
Now, the snuff box is up for sale with Paul Fraser Collectibles - who say the item is "incredibly rare."
"“Napoleon snorted snuff like a 1970s rock star,” said Paul Fraser Collectibles’ Daniel Wade.
"He was never without his snuff box - he loved the stuff.
"This box is an extremely tactile object, with smooth handcrafted curved corners, a crosshatch checkerboard pattern on the top and brass lid opener.
Paul Fraser Collectibles says the item is "incredibly rare." (Paul Fraser Collectibles viaSWNS)
"Feel the well-worn surface beneath your fingertips, and know that more than 200 years ago, Napoleon did the same.
“Snuff boxes used by Napoleon are incredibly rare.”
The snuff box is early 19th Century, measuring 5.5cm, 3cm, 2cm
It is accompanied by provenance demonstrating the full family history of ownership over the past 200 years
The inscription inside the box reads: “THIS BOX BELONGED TO NAPOLEON AND WAS GIVEN BY MADAME BERTRAND TO LIEUT. HAYNE R.A. AT ST HELENA 8TH MAY 1821”
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