Napoleon’s Personal Civil Code Sells for €395,000 at Paris Auction

The rare volume, the only privately-owned copy, was sold far above its estimated value to a legal publishing family.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s personal copy of the Civil Code was auctioned in Paris for €395,000, significantly exceeding its estimated value of €100,000–€200,000.
The volume, described as the only privately-owned copy, was purchased by the Frojal family, majority stakeholders in a legal publishing company.
This edition, bound in high-quality vellum and bearing Napoleon’s consul insignia, has remained within the Charvet family since the fall of the French Empire.
The book’s authenticity was verified by a letter from Étienne Charvet’s son, Jean-Pierre Charvet, detailing its history after Napoleon left it behind during his exile to Elba in 1814.
The Civil Code, first promulgated in 1804, was a cornerstone of Napoleon’s legacy, unifying French law and influencing legal systems worldwide.