Belgian bids €6,600 for possible King Leopold I saber

With a bid of €6,600, a Belgian buyer yesterday purchased a saber that may have belonged to the first King of the Belgians, Leopold I, says auction house Bernaerts.

The heavy cavalry sword has been in the Greiner family for seven generations. Gustave Greiner, personal secretary to the first Belgian King, is believed to have received the saber as a reward for his services. Leopold may have worn the weapon during his coronation oath.

It is not 100 percent certain that the saber belonged to Leopold 1, as the official portraits of the King show a sword in scabbard. The scabbard is believed to have been stolen, according to the seller.

The list price was set at €3,000 to €4,000. "The bids came in over the phone and through our online bidding platforms until we reached the final hammer price of €6,600," says Peter Bernaerts of the Antwerp auction house.

With auction fees included, the buyer will end up paying €8,318 for the sword.