The sofa Napoleon slept on aboard HMS Bellerophon, estimate £30,000-50,000 at Hansons.
The remarkable find, uncovered during a routine antiques valuation event, will be offered in a dedicated sale at Hansons in Etwall, Derbyshire on March 22.
The Captain Maitland Collection: The Surrender of Napoleon Bonaparte comprises a variety of historical objects relating to the Napoleon’s time aboard 74-gun British warship HMS Bellerophon, a veteran of both the Battle of the Nile and Trafalgar.
While in custody Napoleon and his entourage were treated as honoured guests, with the former emperor allocated Maitland’s cabin.
Never seen before in public is the couch Napoleon slept on aboard ship (estimate £30,000-50,000) and a desk fashioned from the gangway timbers of the Bellerophon set with a five-franc piece thrown to a cabin boy by Napoleon (estimate £40,000-60,000).
A detail of the sofa Napoleon slept on aboard HMS Bellerophon, estimate £30,000-50,000 at Hansons.
A plaque on the table states: Made of part of gangway of HMS Bellerophon, on which Bonaparte stepped when he surrendered off Rochefort, 1815. 5 Franc piece given by Bonaparte to E. Sones.
Captain Maitland also kept the skull of a goat which had supplied milk for Napoleon on board ship (estimate £2000-3000).
The find was made by Hansons’ valuer Katy Beardmore. She said: “Our client attended an antiques valuation event and mentioned they had images of some family pieces. Seeing the couch, desk and other objects and hearing of the connection to Captain Maitland and Napoleon gave me goosebumps.”
After defeat at the Battle of Waterloo Napoleon retreated to Rochefort, on the west coast of France where his route was blocked by HMS Bellerophon.
The skull of a goat which supplied milk for Napoleon aboard HMS Bellerophon, estimate £2000-3000 at Hansons.
