Napoleon's wallpaper

A tiny scrap of wallpaper thought to be from the bedroom Napoleon used while he was imprisoned by the British is expected to fetch at least £1,000 when it goes under the hammer. . .

The item is considered special because it is believed to be among the only surviving fragments from Napoleon's bedroom. Other pieces of wallpaper from different rooms in his island jail have fetched as much as £3,000.

Forensic analysis of the scrap of wallpaper might also help unlock the mystery of what caused Napoleon's death. Some experts believe the emperor was poisoned by arsenic used in colouring the wallpaper, after a study of a strand of his hair found eight times the normal amount of the chemical in it.

From the BBC. Final sale price: £1,250 (not clear if hammer or net).

Posted by David on October 16, 2003 3:18 PM