Rating and value of pistols, rifles and weapons by Nicolas Boutet at Versailles

If you own a Nicolas Boutet gun, and would like to know its value, and if you don't know, the period and model of your gun, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your weapon, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on today's market. Thereafter, if you wish to sell your property, we will guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.  

Rating and value of Boutet guns

Boutet guns are sought-after items by collectors. However, price differences can be considerable, depending on the model and state of preservation. Nowadays, prices for these objects can rise considerably under the auctioneer's hammer. Buyers from all over the world are interested in the sale of certain rare pieces. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €260 to €331,760, at the moment, a consequent gap but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to these weapons. The box that once belonged to Tolstoy, comprising two flintlock pistols made by Nicolas Boutet, sold for €120,000,while it was estimated at between €120,000 and €150,000. 

Order of value ranging from a simple order to the most prestigious

History of the Manufacture de Versailles

The Manufacture d'Armes de Versailles was created in 1793, to meet the growing need for firearms. Nicolas Noël Boutet was its director-artist, and it is mainly he who has left his mark on the history of the factory. The provisional legislative assembly appointed him, but the Consulate kept the same organization and management. Production at the Consultat took a different path. Created to produce weapons of war, Consul Bonaparte was to have Versailles produce arms of honor and decoration under his government. The factory employed over 400 workers and closed its doors in 1818, having failed to survive the fall of the Empire.

The success of Boutet flintlock pistols in collecting    

Flintlock pistols are successful at auction because they are a sought-after collector's weapon. Production was very consistent, as it's a mechanism that was used for a long time and equipped many armies, however Boutet's remains exceptional and rare.

These weapons are sought after by many collectors around the world, and particularly in France. They are a poignant historical witness, demonstrating the talent and artistic precision invested in gunmaking at the time.

The more the model belonged to a famous and esteemed individual, the more the weapon's value can increase. This was the case with Tolstoy's pistols and the pistols of Emperor Napoleon I, sold for tens of millions of euros.

Reasons to sell a Boutet gun at auction  

If you own a Boutet gun or a Versailles Manufacture gun, and you don't know how to sell it, auctions are one solution. Many collectors are looking for old models. 

These objects are not just weapons, but historical objects that are part of the scientific and artistic evolution of ammunition design and decorative weapons.

Signature of weapons produced by Nicolas Boutet at Versailles

Guns produced by Nicolas Boutet at Versailles are signed by an engraving in the steel located on the lock of the weapon. The inscription reads " Boutet à Versailles ".

Knowing the value of a Boutet gun

If you happen to own a Boutet gun, from any period, and would like to know its value, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your piece, as well as all the relevant information about it. If you wish to sell your property, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.