Sword carried by Napolean fetches 4.8 million Euro at auction.
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As auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat acknowledged a four million euro bid, a gasp went up from the packed room and heads turned to watch the battle between the family -- who would not say exactly who they were beyond being "Napoleons descendants" -- and a telephone bidder.
As Osenats hammer came down at the 4.2 million euros, applause greeted his comment that "it stays in the family". With the auctioneers' fees, the amount totalled 4.8 million euros.
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The 97cm (38 inch) long sword, was the first in France to be curved like an oriental sword and so gave rise to a style known as "a la Marengo," said Jean-Claude Dey, an expert on antique weapons.
The steel blade is decorated in gold and has an ebony and gold handle, protected by an unusual S-shaped guard beneath it, each extremity of which is decorated with gold.
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