A civil code that belonged to Napoleon awarded 395,000 euros – Liberation

We did not meet any media mop, nor that of Dominique de Villepin (author of a trilogy on Napoleon), nor that of Pierre-Jean Chalançon (monomaniac collector and Covid dinner organizer), these heralds of the famous « Passion Napoleon ». It is in a quiet atmosphere that the Tajan auction house put on sale, this afternoon of Thursday, March 6, which will appear to some as an old bulky book (579 pages) and kitsch: red leather blanket with illuminations, pages a little yellowed, wax seal. Arsenic atmosphere and old lace. But for those who knew, Lot 26 was necessarily going to be the acme of this sale dedicated to books, manuscripts and prints. Its estimate, from 100,000 to 200,000 euros, was largely exploded that of others.

And for good reason. The old book in question is a legal pillar of French society: the Civil Code, in a « Personal exemplary of Napoleon Bonaparte Premier Consul, connected to its NB figure». However, recalls the site of the Tajan house, the civil code is the great work of Napoleon: “The first projects were started in 1793 by Cambacérès, for a classification, standardization and codification of all French civil laws. But when Bonaparte came to power as first consul in November 1799, it was he who, within the Council of State, actively animates this important reform ”.

Upstream of the sale, Ségolène Beauchamp, expert in books and manuscripts who evaluated the work, indicated to Parisian that « This in-4 edition of woven paper is a luxury copy which was intended for Napoleon, as attests to its figure (the arrangement of two intertwined letters) constituted by its initials on the first dish (the cover of the work) and which was to be in its personal reading cabinet at the Château de Saint-Cloud (…) ». However, the « figure » was only awarded twice to Napoleon Bonaparte from the time when he was the first consul, hence the exceptional nature of the copy which was also part of the personal and private collection of Bonaparte. Until then, it was up to the descendants of Etienne Charvet, concierge-registration of the Malmaison in 1798, then manager of the Palais de Saint-Cloud from 1802 to 1814, « Man of Trusted of Napoleon and essential link in the daily life of the Court », Who followed the fallen emperor even in his exile on the island of Elba.

We can clearly see the idea: this civil code is a concentrate of Napoleon, which not only initiated it, directed, but downright touched, had in his hands, rubbed shoulders. Now, in France (but not only), the hype of the « little corporal » addicted to conquest as in the water in Cologne has never weakened, fueled by tombs of books, films (like that, largely tangled, of Ridley Scott With Joaquin Phoenix), proliferating « Napoleonic Societies » and a fetishism market capable of having the tuty two million euros to one of its bicorns.

Leaving, we expected to cross some individuals with the right hand slipped into the vest, on the stomach, or even frills bust, straight. In fact, we noted, on the sixty chairs not all busy, more women than men, and no de posted thuriferous of the eagle. This does not prevent real motivation. Carmen, for example, who scans assistance as if to pierce it up to date and that we see around the book placed in a window just before the sale opens, made the trip « By passion for the revolutionary period ». « Not for the Consul but for the National Convention which began the work of building the Civil Code, the unification of laws on the whole territory, which wanted to make this country a great centralized state with an administration which echoed the royal administration, which made war and which fought », specifies the sixties, professor of letters.

The trio sitting right in front of us is, in the first place: they are from the Charvet family. The lady explains that it was decided to sell the work after the death of her mother-in-law « But no one suspected of his rarity, he had been appraised by a notary from Cherbourg who said » Ah yes, 10,000 euros … «  ». Restoration work was also necessary. Stored in a damp attic, the first and last sheets were weakened.

It is nothing to say that the notary of Cherbourg did not have the compass in the eye: after a departure at 80,000 euros and at the end of a back and forth between the room and the buyers in « live », by telephone, this civil code was awarded 310,000 euros, amount to which it is necessary to add the costs, which propel it to 395,000 euros. The buyer is not a museum or a collector but the Frojal holding company, the majority shareholder family of the Lefebvre Dalloz group. This last name will speak to all those who have tried a minimum of law: Dalloz is the main French legal publisher. “This acquisition has a particular meaning in this year when we celebrate the 230th anniversary of the birth of Désiré Dalloz, founder of Dalloz editions, underlines the publishing house in a press release. His intellectual heritage and his ambition to make the right accessible to everyone still resonates today. ”