[MSN] Feds Find Napoleon III's Missing Gun. Weapon Reportedly Posted for Sale on Internet Decades After It Disappeared in WWII.

[Museum Security Network Mailing list]

Feds Find Napoleon III's Missing Gun
Weapon Reportedly Posted for Sale on Internet Decades After It Disappeared
in WWII. By JASON RYAN
Aug. 9, 2007 

Photo:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3464905&page=1

U.S. officials have recovered an extremely rare gun made in the 1850s for
Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew Napoleon III by French gunsmith Gastine Renette,
the FBI's San Antonio field office and the FBI's Art Crime Team announced
Thursday. 

According to the FBI, a collector in the San Antonio area came into
possession of the gun in the 1980s and was unaware the gun was stolen. The
FBI said the collector acquired the gun during the purchase of a larger gun
collection. 

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It was shortly after this purchase that the collector learned the weapon was
stolen from France and was a French cultural treasure. According to the FBI,
the French government contacted the FBI after learning it was for sale on
the Internet. 

The gun was reportedly missing during the German occupation of Paris during
World War II, reportedly taken from Napoleon's tomb. 

An Internet search about the gunsmith Gastine Renette shows that a gun made
by him was for sale on the Web site gunsamerica.com. 

The description of the rare gun, which was listed on the site for $12,000
noted, "This carbine was taken from the French National museum (Hotel des
Invalides -- Napoleon's Tomb) during WWII. It was most likely made
especially for Empereur Napoleon III (1851-1870). It is 37 inches long with
a 21 inch, .50 cal. barrel fitted with bayonet lug and double-folding rear
sight. The barrel is marked, "Gastinne Renette arqr de S.M. Empereur a
Paris." It is one of the earliest breech-loading cartridge arms produced
being patented by Louis Julien Gastinne in Paris on 5 March 1853." 


The FBI recovered the weapon Wednesday. 

In a statement, Ralph Diaz, special agent in charge of the San Antonio field
office, said, "The FBI is pleased to be able to be involved in the recovery
of this valuable piece of French cultural history. This is an example of the
FBI's commitment to being at the forefront of investigating crimes involving
high value, significant, or historic artwork." 

Johnny Sutton, the U.S. attorney in the western district of Texas, is
reviewing the case. The collector, whose name has not been released, could
face prosecution for violating laws on the sale of stolen antiques and
artifacts.