LYON: A two-cornered military dress hat thought to have belonged to Napoleon went for 350,000 euros ($406,000) at auction on Monday, the latest sale to highlight the boundless appetite for all things associated with the emperor.

The final price far exceeded the expected 30,000 to 40,000 euros for the distinctive “bicorne” hat, which Napoleon wore sideways — rather than with points at the front and back — so he could easily be spotted on the battlefield. The identify of the buyer was not disclosed.

“There’s a sort of craze going on with historical souvenirs, in particular those from Napoleon,” said Etienne De Baecque, the auctioneer leading the sale in Lyon. Yet despite details that suggest the hat is one of about 120 the “Little Corsican” went through during his 15 years in power, there is no conclusive proof it belonged to him.

Monday’s sale still fell short of the 1.9 million euros paid for a Napoleon bicorne four years ago — part of a prestigious collection auctioned off by Monaco’s royal family — to the owner of the South Korean food and agriculture giant Harim.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2018