Napoleons iconic hat, red folio and throne to hit the auction block but will Elon Musk buy them?

Elon Musk could become the owner of a host of French conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte’s personal items — if the current seller has his way.The Tesla billionaire would be perfect to purchase the collection, according to businessman Pierre-Jean Chalençon, because his spirit reminds him of the late 18th century military commander and Emperor.

Speaking of the items coming up for sale, Chalençon told The Post: “They are like my children.And I wish Elon Musk, the new Napoleon, to buy everything, to keep my children all together.”The collection is “one of the most significant Napoleonic offerings ever to come to market,” according to auctioneer Sotheby’s.

It includes more than 100 items such as one of the Napoleon’s iconic bicorne hats, his coronation sword, a folding camp bed, ornate throne and even a sleeve from one of his consular garments, worn when he led the French Republic as First Consul for five years beginning in 1799.The sale is scheduled for June 25 in Paris, but a special exhibit is opening at Sotheby’s Upper East Side showroom on Thursday.Here are some of the highlights: Ever the trailblazer, Napoleon was known for wearing his bicorne (two cornered) hat side-to-side across his head, rather than the more conventional front to back, with the point at the front, developing his own style.

The hat on sale at Sotheby’s was created by Poupard, Napoleon’s hatmaker, and was a gift from the Emperor to General Georges Mouton, his trusted aide-de-camp.Napoleon praised Mouton’s important role in the Battle of Essling in May 1809, calling him “a lion.” Napoleon biographer Andrew Roberts told The Post the hat, estimated to sell between $570,000 and $913,0000, will likely fetch significantly more once Napoleon “fanatics with money” start bidding.

There are only 17 such hats that belonged to the French statesman, who died in 1821, in existence today, he said.The sleeve, which has a pre-auction estimate between $22,000 and $34,000 was kept...

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Publisher: New York Post

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