Lot n° 149
Estimation :
6000 - 8000
EUR
Very important set of 88 lead soldiers, modeled after the Ki - Lot 149
Very important set of 88 lead soldiers, modeled after the King of Rome._x001e_
In painted lead, with white departmental legion uniform, blue lapels and gold buttons, with ranks painted on the top of each shako. The shakos are decorated with the fleur de lys._x001e_
H.: 4 cm.x001e_
Presented on their fifteen wooden rulers, nine for three soldiers, four for eight soldiers and two for sixteen soldiers._x001e_
In wooden box with pen notation "... à M. Dubois Aymé à Grenoble_x001e_"_x001e_
A.B.E. (Minor wear). Restoration period._x001e_
A strong set of fifty-two wooden presentation rulers, from the same source, is included._x001e_
Provenance:_x001e_
- Jean-Marie Joseph Aimé Dubois, known as Dubois-Aymé (1779-1846)
- then descendants._x001e_
History:_x001e_
An archive contains a letter from Dubois Aymé to Edouard Devilliers (his graduating classmate from the École Polytechnique) in 1818, evoking this game:_x001e_"_x001e_I have received the little good men of lead, my dear Edouard, but I would like you to ask Magincel for the little note which should accompany them and which indicates which grades correspond to the letters placed on the shakos._x001e_"_x001e_".
This game was reputed in the Dubois Aymé family to have come from the King of Rome, who owned a similar game representing the 21st and 22nd regiments of light infantry, offered for his 1st birthday on March 20, 1812. This game was covered in gold, then modified during the child's exile in Austria._x001e_
It should be noted that, on our examples, the soldiers and officers wear scarlet epaulettes._x001e_
Biography:_x001e_
Marie Joseph Aimé Dubois, known as DUBOIS-AYMÉ (1779 -1846)
After graduating from the École Polytechnique (1796) and being appointed ingénieur des Ponts et Chaussées, Dubois joined the scientific commission set up by Monge and Berthollet for the Egyptian Expedition at the age of 20.
On his return from Egypt, he joined the customs administration, notably in Marseille. He continued a collection of Egyptian antiquities he had begun in Egypt, and added to with local dealers, the bulk of which is now in Grenoble. He entered politics under the
July Monarchy, he was deputy for Ile-et-Vilaine in 1831, then for Isère. He made a name for himself by campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty and against the proscription of the Bonaparte family._x001e_
BIBLIOGRAPHY:_x001e_
Christian BLONDIEAU, "Petits soldats. Le guide du collectionneur", Képi rouge Paris, 1996, p.565. Similar "Kriegspiel" models allow children to recreate an imaginary battlefield._x001e_
- On the King of Rome game, see:_x001e_
- Karine HUGUENAUD, "Soldats de plomb du Roi de Rome", available on the website_x001e_Napoléon.org.
- Jouets de Prince 1770-1870", catalog of the exhibition at the Châteaux de Malmaison and Bois Préau, RMN, 2001, fig 40. p.114.
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue