BY PIERRE-ANDRÉ MONTAUBAN (FL. 1806-1822), MARKED, PARIS, CIRCA 1808, WITH THE PARISIAN STANDARD MARKS FOR GOLD 1789-1809, THE FLANGE ENGRAVED WITH INVENTORY NUMBER 42 AND INSCRIBED BY THE RETAILER 'MARGUERITE JOAILLIER DE LA COURONNE DE LEURS MAJESTES IMPERIALES ET ROYALES'

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) rose to prominence during the latter stages of the French Revolution and from 1804 -1815 was styled Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. His reign lasted until he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, exiled and imprisoned on the island of Saint Helena, where he died on 5 May 1821. The court jeweller Marguerite, received between March and August 1806, an order from the Imperial court for 100 gold boxes, decorated with diamonds, ciphers and portraits to the value of 380,688Fr.