One of Napoleon's swords sold at an auction in France Sunday for more than $6.4 million. According to auctioneers, no other Napoleon memorabilia has garnered as high a sum as the gold-encrusted sword, which Napoleon wore as he went into battle in Italy about 200 years ago.

The sale took place at the Osenat auction house, located in Fontainebleau, a town southeast of Paris. The buyer was not immediately named.

It was not expected that the 32-inch sword would sell for more than $1.6 million.

"It's a world record for a souvenir of the emperor, for a sword and for a weapon in general," auction house spokesman Bernard Croissy said, according to BBC.

It was in the possession of one of the emperors eight descendants before the sale and was thought to be the last of Napoleon's swords that was privately owned.

Napoleon most likely used the weapon before he became emperor. He is thought to have carried the sword during the June of 1800 battle at Marengo, in which France forced the Austrian army out of Italy in a surprise attack.