£307k for hat Napoleon wore when he met his Waterloo

A HAT thought to have belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte sold for £307,000 last night – more than ten times the original guide price.

The two-cornered dress hat (pictured) is said to have been taken as a trophy by a Dutchman after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The style was a favourite of the French emperor, who wore it sideways so he could be easily spotted.

It had been in the possession of a French collector and was sold in Lyon to an unknown buyer. It had been expected to go for around £30,000. Auctioneer Etienne de Baecque said: ‘There’s a craze going on with historical souvenirs, in particular those from Napoleon.’

He added that while there is no conclusive proof the hat belonged to Napoleon, it had the internal band removed – part the leader is known to have hated. ‘There are some distinctive elements,’ he said.

The hat was sold with the box used for its display at the 1897 World Expo in Brussels. Last November a fragile gold leaf from the crown made for Napoleon’s coronation in 1804 was sold for £551,000.