Beautiful coconut pourer. - Lot 195

Beautiful coconut pourer. Tripod base, silver spout, mount and handle. Pine cone-shaped grip. Coconut body finely engraved with the large coat of arms of François Casimir de BONNEFOUX, capitaine de vaisseau, préfet du 1er arrondissement maritime baron de l'Empire, trophy coat of arms and imperial eagle on naval anchors. Height: 20 cm A.B.E. First Empire period A plain coconut with two suspender buttons and glass eyes. Biography : François-Casimir, baron de Bonnefoux (1761-1838) Aspiring marine guard at Rochefort (April 1779), then guard (July 1780), he embarked on the Fée in April 1779 and made a name for himself in the battle that led to the capture of the British frigate Alligator. As a reward, he was appointed ensign (September 1782). In 1783-1784, he served on the Réfléchi, then in 1784-1785 on the Danaé in the West Indies, and was promoted to lieutenant in May 1786. In 1791, he commanded the aviso Sans-Souci, then, as captain (January 1793), commanded the Républicain, Tourville and Terrible in the Brest squadron. In January 1794, he was imprisoned in Brest as a royalist, and not released until February 1795. Head of division (March 1796), Adjutant General of the port of Brest (August 1798), he became Maritime Prefect of Boulogne in September 1803. In January 1804, he replaced Bruix as commander of the Boulogne flotilla, a position he held until April 1812. Baron d'Empire (December 1809), he became Prefect of Rochefort in April 1812. In June 1815, he tried in vain to persuade Napoleon to embark for the United States, and remained loyal to the end, secretly warning him of the fate that awaited him. Officially retired in January 1816, he died on June 15, 1838, drowning in the Garonne at Escassefort.