Wood Turned By Emperor Napoleon III At Chislehurst - Historical Souvenir

Rare historical object: wood turned by Emperor Napoleon III at Chislehurst We offer you an exceptional testimony to Napoleon III's exile in England: a piece of boxwood turned by his own hands, while he resided at Camden Place, Chislehurst. Height: 16.5 cm This piece of wood, accompanied by a period handwritten label bearing the words: "Wood turned by Napoleon III at Chislehurst. Donated by Muller", constitutes a unique piece, imbued with emotion and imperial memory. An emperor at work At the end of his life, retired to the English countryside after his captivity in Germany, Napoleon III devoted himself to woodworking to stave off boredom and relieve his kidney pain. Less well known than the locks of Louis XVI, this intimate craft reveals a withdrawn sovereign, but still active, between memories of glory and the daily life of exile. Prestigious Provenance Collection of Tito Franceschini Pietri, private secretary to Napoleon III, then to the Prince Imperial and Empress Eugenie. Collection of Jacques Muller, coachman of the Élysée Palace who became the Emperor's first valet. A faithful servant, he carefully preserved this object before offering it to Pietri. Historical Context Camden Place became, from 1871, the center of the imperial court in exile. Surrounded by his family and a circle of loyal followers, Napoleon III led a discreet but dignified life there, between declining health and political memories. He died there in 1873. This place, decorated in French style and supported by the benevolence of Queen Victoria, remained until the Prince Imperial came of age a high place of Bonapartist memory. A fragment of imperial history, both modest and deeply moving. A rare collector's item for lovers of Napoleonic history.