REMEMBRANCE OF BONAPARTE IN AUXONNE Late 18th century mathematical drawing case Lined with black chagrin and lined on the inside with green velvet, with a handwritten inscription in pen on the lid under the protractor cover: "Buonaparte. Mathematics case left in Auxonne by Napoleon Buonaparte, Lieutenant of Artillery". It contains: - A large dry-point compass with the possibility of adapting a pencil-holding point or an ink line-pulling point, - A medium dry-point compass, - A small dry-tip compass with the option of adapting a pencil or ink-tip, - A large ink pen, - An extension for the movable part of the large compass, - A spanner for removing the compass shafts, - A blond horn protractor divided into two 180-degree scales. Clasp with two hooks (one missing). Dimensions (box): H.: 2.5 cm - W.: 17.5 cm - D.: 8 cm B.E. Complete (the protractor was made after 1792) Provenance : Former Napoleonic collection of the Prince's Palace of Monaco (2nd sale, lot 41), with the following history: a letter from 1894 can be found in the archives of the Napoleonic Museum: "Mr Froidevaux gave me a present to pass on to you after me: it is Napoleon's mathematics box when he was an artillery officer at Auxonne, where he left it in payment for his accommodation. He never claimed his box and the landlady sold it to Mr Froidevaux's grandfather. It is a very curious and valuable object (...)". A case of mathematical drawing instruments left by Bonaparte at Auxonne Related works : A number of works from the library of the young lieutenant Bonaparte, left in his lodgings in Auxonne and Valence, can be found in private collections. Commentary: The young second lieutenant Bonaparte perfected his training at Auxonne from 1788 to 1791, where he returned to the La Fère regiment, one of the best in the army. The latter had been garrisoned at the Royal Artillery School in Auxonne since December 1787. He lived in the barracks as well as in a house in rue Vauban belonging to the Bauffre family. Bonaparte stayed in Auxonne from 1788 to 1791. He was deeply influenced by his mathematics teacher Jean Louis Lombard.