Is It Real? Is It Damaged? Have I met Napoleon's Waterloo?

The third Hermès scarf I bought was another splurge, and you can imagine my dismay when it arrived and before I unfolded it, I saw this:

Is that a huge grease spot?

Is there any chance a dry cleaner can get it out?

This is really ruined.

Then I saw this:

It looks like grease was seriously splattered.

That is a mess.

The scarf, entitled "Napoleon" by LeDoux for Hermès, even used, is expensive.

And a seriously damaged scarf is not what I paid for!  I immediately contacted the seller to report that the scarf was not as described and that I would need to return it.  Even though their listing had said, "No Returns," they agreed to accept it back when I told them it was damaged.  By then, the stress and disappointment was getting to me, and I decided to set it aside until the next day.  

Good thing I waited and used the time to research the scarf more.  The blog at Carre de Paris, is very informative.  After I looked at several pictures it was clear that I had made a serious mistake. 

This scarf depicts uniforms and flags of soldiers in Napoleon's army.

What looked like grease was the filth of battle.  

The designer is brilliant!

We immediately contacted the seller to advise him of my error.

~

The scarf has wonderful details.

In addition to the copyright (left) and designer, LeDoux, (right),

under Napoleon's hat is "HERMÈS - PARIS".

.

.

 This image is based on

Napoleon at Ratisbonne 
by Pierre Gautherot (1769-1825).
Medics are checking the bruise on his foot from a small projectile.
The injury was not serious (and is actually to his left leg - not the right as pictured).

Notice the hand rolled hems.  On Hermès scarves, the hems are rolled toward the "good" side.

This image is based on

Napoleon at The Battle at Wagram, 
by Émile Jean-Horace Vernet.

This is the center of the top, with the scarf title, "Napoléon".

The scarf is a jacquard with bees.  They are easiest to see in the green border.

We decided to get scarves with the jacquard fabric, because the fabric is expensive to duplicate, with the result that jacquard prints are rarely fakes.

 Sometimes you can find source material.
This painting is the source of the top left corner.

Bonaparte franchissant le Grand Saint-Bernard, (Crossing the Alps) 20 Mai 1800, 
by Jacques Louis David.

Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul, Reviewing his Troops after the battle of Marengo, 
by Jean-Antoine Gros.



We got curious about the regimental flag shown behind the uniforms.
Found this one

The left side says:  Valeur et Discipline # Escadron
The right side says:  L'Empereur Des Français au 4me Regiment de Cuirassiers

We can research this scarf forever. . .

Looks like this will be a lot of fun to have!

Now I have to check out all those youtube videos on scarf tying!

https://www.facebook.com/Hermes.Scarf.Guides

is a great source of information.