Flag and Eagle of the "1st Regiment of Foot Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard".

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.

Here is imagery of the real one.

https://art.rmngp.fr/en/library/artworks/drapeau-du-1er-regiment-de-grenadiers-a-pied-de-la-garde-imperiale_broderie-technique_soie-textile

Thanks for sharing your views David, I thought the flag was stolen too but you are right, looking at the photo closely it seems too unused for a regiment that was campaigning in Russia and Germany so much, for sure it is not the real one. I think you are right about what might have happened or something very close to that escenarios.

https://www.gardnermuseum.org/experience/collection/21857

are there any photos of those stolen items?

The survivability of aigles and drapeaux is always problematical. Recorded battle loss is one route as well as the retention by individuals or concealment by regiments. There was no official route, as there were two Bourbon restoration ‘pograms’ in 1814 and 1815. It should also be noted that the drapeaux and cravats are separate items. Being only embroidered taffeta, they are of course much easier to fake. Eagles were sometimes carried without them. The only thing connecting the flag to the eagle is the number on the plinth. For the Grenadiers this would have been a grenade, so any such eagle could be “misattributed” by attaching a 1st Grenadiers “reproduction” flag. This is what appears to have happened here. The eagle was stolen, but the flag remains on display. I’m tempted to reconstruct the scenario thus: Russian nobleman acquires the eagle, of some regiment, or could even be National Guard. Perhaps it was a battlefield pickup, discovered in a depot store or simply purchased in a bar in Paris in 1814 during the occupation. He puts it over the mantelpiece. Perhaps the legend grew that it belonged to the 1st Grenadiers and they had a “replacement” flag made. When they fled the revolution this relic was preserved and needing cash, was sold in good faith. Alternatively the much more portable eagle was brought out of Russia, and when they found themselves in dire straight the flag was made to ‘big it up’ as it were. It was then successfully sold to gullible Americans. The possibly genuine piece, the eagle, was stolen. The “fake” flag hangs there still. The provenance of either being 1st Grenadiers is decidedly dodgy.