Does anyone know if the Eagle and Flag of this regiment stolen from the Isabela Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990 were authentic?
Because in Pierre Charrie´s book Drapeaux & Etendards de la Revolution et Empire there says that both the 1804 and the 1812 types (the one supposedly at the Boston museum) as being at the Musee de la Armé in Paris. Only the flags, not the eagles. The Eagles location are unknown, it says.
So I am confused, the Boston Museum says that the provenience was from a Russian Count that bought it at auction. Seems a bit suspicious that such a relic was in the hands of a Russian noble and not in French hands at the fall of the 1st Empire.
I saw that netflix documentary about the art theft recently, and the flag and eagle naturally caught my attention. When it sunk in that the museum was apparently claiming to have what was effectively the premium regimental standard of Napoleon's Army it seemed too good to be true. Besides the unlikeliness this item falling into foreign hands either in battle or otherwise (with no record), it looked like it had never be used. Also, the obverse spells Marengo incorrectly The only place I could find a similar spelling was on a site selling "copies" as household tat (which also manages to spell Austerlitz and one or two other battles incorrectly). It is no surprise to see the earlier post showing that the French state still owns such a flag, and to see its condition by comparison!
The museum's detailed description includes a provenance history wherein their claim is diluted somewhat to possibly a c19th copy. I doubt even that.
Also, compare the "eagle" with ones with solid provenance, like one held in National Army Museum in London: https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1971-10-24-3
The quality of workmanship is noticeably different. I think the museum should reconsider their offer of $100,000 for recovery of their eagle.