Authentic and modern. Napoleon's coronation ceremony was the occasion to select the official weapons, coats of arms, and heraldic figures of the new empire. The bee appeared very inconspicuously, solely at the emperor's request, and he began to use it everywhere without any particular reason. It could be found on court capes, on leather, on upholstery fabrics, on carpets, and on flags. The inspiration for this collection came from a blue travel vanity case made of morocco leather, featuring gilding and a bee motif in the background. It belonged to the emperor and is preserved in the Carnavalet Museum. Height: 10.3 cm, Diameter: 8.4 cm, Cl: 26.