The Nicolas-Noël Boutet Boutet Pistol Imperial Guard Presentation #9 is a Antique first produced in 1812. It carries a scarcity score of 100/100 based on tracked survey data, with 12 active listings currently on the secondary market and a global benchmark price of $165,631.
Nicolas-Noël Boutet was the director of the Manufacture de Versailles, the French state arms works, and became renowned as the preeminent gunmaker of the Napoleonic era, producing exceptionally fine firearms for presentation to officers, dignitaries, and members of the Imperial Guard. This pistol reflects the tradition of Boutet presentation arms, distinguished by elaborate engraving, fine checkering, and precious-metal inlay work far exceeding the standard of ordinary military-issue sidearms, and intended to honor distinguished service or mark significant occasions within Napoleon's military establishment. Boutet's workshop combined the technical standards of French state arms manufacturing with the decorative artistry of contemporary engravers, producing pieces regarded among the finest firearms of the early nineteenth century. Dating from 1812, this pistol comes from the height of Napoleonic France's military campaigns, a period during which Boutet's presentation arms served as prestigious gifts befitting the empire's officer corps and allies.