Gold snuffbox and Bonaparte medals among auctioned ‘Swiss in the World’ objects
The museum dedicated to Swiss exploits in the world closed last year.
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Various objects belonging to the now-shut Foundation for the History of the Swiss in the World have been sold at auction in Geneva, gathering CHF1.5 million ($1.55 million).
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Fundação leiloa bens históricos de “suíços no mundo”
The auction house Piguet said 95% of the 500 objects up for sale on Tuesday and Wednesday found buyers, who included individuals – often descendants of old Swiss families – and other museums.
The proceeds will contribute to paying off creditors of the ‘Swiss in the World’ museum, which closed last year amid financial difficulties exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. It had been operating near Geneva since 1978, hosting exhibitions focused on various undertakings of Swiss émigrés, from early mercenaries to modern diplomats, bankers, or artists.
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Among the objects sold at auction was a gold and diamond snuff box which Tsar Alexander 1 had given to the general Willem du Pont; this went for CHF100,000. Four gold medals formerly owned by the Bonaparte family fetched CHF175,000. A silk robe belonging to Jacques Necker, a French minister under Louis XVI and two sabres used by officers in the Swiss Guard (during the period when it served French kings) were also under the items.
A more contemporary object was a Swiss flag which was on board the Endeavour space shuttle in 1993 during the flight of Swiss astronaut Claude Nicollier – this went for CHF7,500, more than 25 times the estimated price.
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