Napoleon Military Hat on a Book and Map Limoges Box

Napoleon's famous military hat rests on a book and a map, a still life of ambition, strategy and French history. The hat, book and map were painted by hand on porcelain in Limoges, France, as a Limoges box.

The Emperor's Bicorne

Napoleon Bonaparte wore his bicorne hat sideways so he could be spotted easily on the battlefield, and it became one of the most recognized symbols of his era. Pairing it with a book and map suggests the emperor at work, studying campaigns and the shape of Europe. Students of history will recognize the image at once.

A Campaign for the Study

• Hand-painted porcelain made in Limoges, France
• Suits a French history, military or library collection
• Pairs with Eiffel Tower, globe and fountain pen pieces

Victory on the Bookshelf

Give it to a history teacher, a military history buff, a graduate in European studies, or a traveler just back from Les Invalides in Paris. It looks right at home on a study desk, a library shelf or beside an antique map.

From Kaolin to Kiln

Porcelain has been made in Limoges since the late 1700s, after kaolin was found nearby in 1768. That makes the craft almost exactly as old as Napoleon himself, who was born in 1769.