Siamese crown stolen from Chateau de Fontainebleau
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About 15 rare pieces of art were stolen on Sunday morning from the Chinese Museum of Chateau de Fontainebleau, southeast of Paris, the French culture ministry said.
These included a crown given to emperor Napoleon III by the King of Siam during his official visit to France in 1861 and a Chinese chimera in cloisonne enamel from the reign of Quianlong (17361795), the statement said.
The artefacts came from China and Thailand and were collected by Napoleon’s wife Eugenie, who placed them in her museum, which was created in 1863.
The ministry said the burglary, which took place in one of the most secure parts of the castle, took only seven minutes and that an investigation had been launched.
Chateau de Fontainebleau was the residence of French monarchs from Louis VII through Napoleon III and is now a national museum.
