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The Napoleon Garniture sold by Rock Island Auction Co. in December 2021 for $2,875,000 was notably among the arms taken back to England and was placed on display at the Oplotheca.
France underwent another major revolution in 1830, and the Musee d’Artillerie was targeted. French historian J. P. Reverseau wrote that when the cloister and museum were attacked “The pillage was total,” but that some “precious arms kept in closets”
were spared, and many pieces were reportedly returned. Others remained in private hands and public collections, both
in France and abroad. In the 19th century, France was faced with many further turbulent periods, including the Siege of Paris and Paris Commune during the Franco- Prussian War. During the latter, the Tuileries Palace, the imperial library in the Louvre and more were destroyed. French art, arms, and armor were also subject to losses in the first half of the 20th century during both World War I and World War II from bombardment and looting. However, the French people’s love of the arts saved many of the precious works, and they were packed and hidden away to be protected for future generations. Since the end of World War II, a few pieces
of the Cabinet d’Armes have appeared available for purchase, always generating considerable interest. Some of the most incredible pieces from the collection remain protected in institutional collections, others have been lost to time, and only a small number remain in private hands.
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