In this article, we’ll look at the story of Bryan Goldberg’s purchase of Napoleon’s bicorne hat. Learn about the New York auction house’s price and Goldberg’s admiration for Napoleon Bonaparte. Originally, we reported that Goldberg had paid EUR1,000,000 for the hat. That figure includes the buyer’s premium, so the real price was EUR1,222,500.
Sotheby’s auction house in New York
On November 7, 2017, the CEO of BDG Media, which owns the media outlets Gawker and Bustle, won a bicorne hat from Napoleon that he had bought for EUR1,222,500, or $1.43 million. This bicorne hat was worth as much as $1,560,000 in today’s money and has already made Goldberg an internet celebrity. He has been compared to Napoleon and the Shaw Stewart line of baronets, who bought a Napoleon hat for their collection during their visit to France.
The hat, made of beaver fur and black felt, arrived in the United States earlier this month. It is adorned with a revolutionary cockade and is one of only 19 authenticated hats known to exist. The hat was sold for PS386,500 at Sotheby’s, almost twice its original price, which is why its owner, a former competitor of Sotheby’s, was so impressed with the hat.
Price of the hat
The price of the Bryan Goldberg Napoleons Hat may surprise you. This piece of Napoleonic history was once worn by Napoleon himself during many of his campaigns, mainly in the winter months. During his reign, he had about 120 hats, and wore them to distinguish himself from others. The bicorne was acquired by Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart in 1814. The hat spent 200 years in the family castle. Bryan Goldberg, who is five feet nine inches tall, is a collector of watches and whisky. He also collects rare bottles of whiskey, including Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, which is valued at $5,000 per bottle.
Goldberg has sold numerous Napoleonic-era hats, but this particular piece is worth $1.4 million. It is worth at least three hundred thousand dollars, so be prepared to spend a few bucks. The hat is made of beaver fur and felt, and it is embellished with a revolutionary cockade. The hat is one of 19 authentic Napoleonic hats in existence, and will remain in a museum for future generations to see.
Goldberg’s admiration for Napoleon Bonaparte
Jeff Goldberg is a self-described Napoleon buff who credited the French emperor with bringing us modern civilization. In fact, his assistant photo-shopped him into the painting by Jacques-Louis David, “Napoleon Crossing the Alps.” Goldberg made his name co-founding the controversial sports website Bleacher Report, which was acquired by Turner Broadcasting for $200 million. The company has since gone on to eat up numerous other weak websites. Goldberg’s admiration for Napoleon is not confined to his collection of medals, uniforms, or swords.
The French president is also a great student of history. Napoleon once instructed his subordinates to study the works of seven specific commanders, arguing that learning from the masters was the only way to master the art of war and enhance their own genius. However, Napoleon advised his subordinates to reject any maxim that was foreign to these great commanders. Another example of Goldberg’s admiration for Napoleon is the fact that the French emperor studied the works of the seven famous commanders, including Prince Eugene of Savoy, who was a field marshal and a statesman. While Eugene served as a Holy Roman Emperor, his work on the French Revolution was unsurpassed.