A 19th century bicorne hat of the style worn by NapoleonBlack felt, beaver fur with front and back halves turned up to form semi-circular fan shape, right side with bi-color cockade of red/white/blue/black brocade fabric at top, two strips of black securing cord draped across cockade and secured by black finish button, hand-applied and pinned to hat brim. Lined in brown cloth, dark-brown leather sweatband, octagonal shaped brown paper tag with gilt numerals "172" attached at forehead. This hat was owned by a British collector for 60 years, prior to that in the possession of a French family whose ancestor served during the 1st Empire of Napoleon Bonaparte, 1800 - 1815. Construction, materials and head size are similar to those of known examples of Napoleon's bicorne hats appearing at auction over the last 100 years. Less than 20 known examples survive in museums and private collections. Minor restoration and repairs to the hat exterior surface to include replacement of a front section of hat and black securing cord and button. During his reign, it's estimated he used about 120 examples, most of which manufactured by Poupart & Cie "Chapelier, costumier et passementier de l'Empereur et des Princes", whose shop was located at the Palais du Tribunal, now the Palais Royal. It is understood that Napoleon constantly had twelve operational hats, each with a lifetime of about three years with several believed to have been made each year.USA lot - more info hereCondition: II