Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Carved Meerschaum Smoking Pipe The Little Corporal Napoleon Bonaparte Sculpture

Dhs. 6,060.00

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Crafted in the 19th century, this Meerschaum smoking pipe features a hand carved depiction of the iconic leader, Napoleon Bonaparte sculpture. This pipe is so elegant & perfect for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
It has been wonderfully hand carved in the form of the historic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, it is so ornate & detailed the facial features along with his bicorne hat of the known leader of the French Empire. With London retailer mark shown inside the case for Thompson & Co London New Bond Street.
It has been rather well smoked to perfection since the late 19th century & a further feature to highlight is that the pipe has an amber stem.
It also comes with the original case which is velvet lined inside.
For a Meerschaum pipe this is the larger size being 22 cm in length, 9.5 cm high and 6.2 cm in with widest point.
Highly desired collectors piece.
Made from Meerschaum which is a clay like mineral that was used to make tobacco pipes, the word Meerschaum translates from German to sea foam, it is a rare is a magnesium silicate mineral with the chemical formula Mg₄Si₆O₁₅(OH)₂·6H₂O. Meerschaum is one of the most porous substances in the world, which makes it ideal for pipes because it absorbs tobacco's tars, oils, and nicotine. Meerschaum is mainly mined from Turkey and can sometimes be found floating on the Black Sea.
When the pipe is smoked you would see the light along with the porous mineral alter colour , which then gives the pipe its golden with amber colours. The sculptor who would of made this masterpiece would employ youths to smoke the pipe until the desiredl patina was added.
Circa late 19th century Victorian era.
Napoleon Bonaparte born Napoleone di Buonaparte] 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military officer and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led a series of successful campaigns across Europe during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1796 to 1815. He was the leader of the French Republic as First Consul from 1799 to 1804, then of the French Empire as Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1814, and briefly again in 1815.
Born on the island of Corsica to a family of Italian origin, Napoleon moved to mainland France in 1779 and was commissioned as an officer in the French Royal Army in 1785. He supported the French Revolution in 1789, and promoted its cause in Corsica. He rose rapidly through the ranks after winning the siege of Toulon in 1793 and defeating royalist insurgents in Paris on 13 Vendémiaire in 1795. In 1796, Napoleon commanded a military campaign against the Austrians and their Italian allies in the War of the First Coalition, scoring decisive victories and becoming a national hero. He led an invasion of Egypt and Syria in 1798 which served as a springboard to political power. In November 1799, Napoleon engineered the Coup of 18 Brumaire against the Directory, and became First Consul of the Republic. He won the Battle of Marengo in 1800, which secured France's victory in the War of the Second Coalition, and in 1803 sold the territory of Louisiana to the United States. In December 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French, further expanding his power.
The breakdown of the Treaty of Amiens led to the War of the Third Coalition by 1805. Napoleon shattered the coalition with a decisive victory at the Battle of Austerlitz, which led to the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. In the War of the Fourth Coalition, Napoleon defeated Prussia at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt in 1806, marched his Grande Armée into Eastern Europe, and defeated the Russians in 1807 at the Battle of Friedland. Seeking to extend his trade embargo against Britain, Napoleon invaded the Iberian Peninsula and installed his brother Joseph as King of Spain in 1808, provoking the Peninsular War.
In 1809, the Austrians again challenged France in the War of the Fifth Coalition, in which Napoleon solidified his grip over Europe after winning the Battle of Wagram. In summer 1812, he launched an invasion of Russia, which ended in the catastrophic retreat of his army that winter. In 1813, Prussia and Austria joined Russia in the War of the Sixth Coalition, in which Napoleon was decisively defeated at the Battle of Leipzig. The coalition invaded France and captured Paris, forcing Napoleon to abdicate in April 1814. They exiled him to the Mediterranean island of Elba and restored the Bourbons to power. Ten months later, Napoleon escaped from Elba on a brig, landed in France with a thousand men, and marched on Paris, again taking control of the country. His opponents responded by forming a Seventh Coalition, which defeated him at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. Napoleon was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, where he died of stomach cancer in 1821, aged 51.
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Condition report.
Offered in fine used condition.
With charming patina to the pipe , scuffs, scratches, stains in places commensurate with usage & old age. The case has various wear, fading & losses, part of the case hinge is also missing still functional opens & closes.
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Dimensions in centimetres of pipe

High (9.5 cm)
Width (6.2 cm)
Length (22 cm)

Size of case

Length (23 cm)
Widest point (11.5 cm)
High (7 cm )