An Empire gilt-brass mounted mahogany safe-case with the coat-of-arms of Joseph Bonaparte, King of Spain, by Martin-Guillaume Biennais, Paris, circa 1808

Joseph Bonaparte, King of Spain (1768-1844)

Seized by the British Army after the battle of Vitoria in Spain, in the King's carriage in June 1813;

Bought from the Wellington family;

Malmaison Antiques, 2003

P.-J. Chalençon, B. Topping and R. Hull Etling, Napoléon: An Intimate Portrait, Floride, 2005, exhibition catalogue, 2005-2011, p. 40

D. Segon, Malmaison Antiques, Mobilier, Objets d’art, Tableaux, Souvenirs historiques de l’Empire à Charles X, June 2003, p. 11

Napoléon: An Intimate Portrait, A Travelling Exhibition from Russell Etling Company, 2005-2011

Joseph Bonaparte (1768–1844)

Eldest brother of Napoleon, Joseph received the same education, attending the Collège d’Autun for five years. He entered politics during the Revolution, becoming a deputy for Corsica in 1797 before embarking on a diplomatic career in Italy and Rome. Back in Paris, he played an active role in the 18 Brumaire coup that established the Consulate. With his brother as First Consul, Joseph pursued diplomatic missions to the United States, Austria, and Italian states. Under the Empire, he was appointed Grand Elector and accompanied Napoleon during the Italian campaigns of 1807. As both his elder and heir—given the imperial couple’s lack of children—their sibling relationship was not always smooth. Nonetheless, Joseph governed the newly annexed Kingdom of Naples from 1806 to 1808, implementing numerous reforms. In May 1808, Napoleon summoned him to the Spanish throne, where he struggled to impose French-style reforms amid widespread revolts and difficulty ruling. In 1812, British troops invaded Spain, and after the decisive defeat at Vitoria on June 21, 1813, the king fled, abandoning his carriage and personal effects. Returning to France, he served as military advisor to Marie-Louise, briefly regent during the Empire’s fall. Exiled to Switzerland to align with Austria, an ally of the crown, he rejoined Napoleon during the Hundred Days, following him through Waterloo’s defeat. He then fled to the United States, settling in New Jersey at Point Breeze. After the Bourbons’ fall in 1830, he sought to return to France, landing in England in 1832, but the exile law barred his entry, forcing him back to the U.S. Later permitted to join his family in Florence, he died there in 1844 and was buried in the Santa Croce chapel. In 1862, his body was transferred to Les Invalides.

Our safe bears a label referencing the Battle of Vitoria and the king’s carriage. During this battle, Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, defeated the French troops escorting Joseph as he fled with army treasures, personal belongings, and numerous archives. Much like his brother at Waterloo years later, the ousted king’s convoy was overtaken by British forces, compelled to abandon carriages and cannons to looters as they escaped across fields. Our safe was likely among the most significant spoils—whether filled with gold, secret dispatches, silverware, or jewels.

Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764–1843)

A tabletier under the Ancien Régime, Martin-Guillaume Biennais capitalized on the Revolution’s abolition of guilds to diversify his craft, notably becoming a goldsmith. He met General Bonaparte, crafting travel kits for him. A loyal patron, Bonaparte—later Consul—granted him exclusive rights to supply tableware, a title he held through the Empire. He produced numerous services for Napoleon I and other royals, including Joséphine, Hortense, Louis, and Jérôme Bonaparte. At the height of his renown, he employed over eighty workers in his Rue Honoré workshop.