Acquired directly from the Pinochet family and accompanied by a 2014 letter from General Pinochet’s son, the baton stands in brass, the shaft divided into three sections of 95 mm in length each and separated by thin brass rings, all three sections bearing a velvet base in the colors of the Chilean flag, the top section in blue velvet and bearing six Chilean coat-of-arms in bronze with red and blue enamels, along with five bronze stars, with the sixth star having been lost to time, in an alternating pattern over three rows, the middle section in white velvet and bearing a single Chilean coat-of-arms in bronze gilt with red and blue enamels, the bottom section in red velvet and bearing six Chilean coat-of-arms in bronze with red and blue enamels, along with four bronze stars, with the fifth and sixth stars having been lost to time, in an alternating pattern over three rows, each end with a wide band, the top band inscribed: “EJERCITO DE CHILE” (Army of Chile), the bottom band without inscription, both ends finished with a 38 mm x 38 mm octagonal Corinthian-style capital, the sides of which are embellished with bound ribbons, the top capital with the Chilean coat-of-arms in bronze with red and blue enamels, the bottom capital with the Chilean national shield in gilt with red, white and blue enamels, measuring 28 mm at the widest portion of the shaft x 385 mm in length at 1.2 lbs weight. Other than the three missing bronze stars, the other elements remain intact, the brass polished with some age spotting, the velvet sections with bold colors and relatively clean, near extremely fine. 

Accompanied by a Photo Certificate of Authenticity from his Son (translated from the Spanish: “Santiago, October 2014 / Through this letter, I, Augusto Pinochet Hiriart, with Identification Number: 5.197.844-7, son of Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, ex President of Chile and Commander in Chief of the Chilean Army between the years 1973 and 1990, certify that the “Tricolor Command Staff of Commander in Chief of the Army”, which is shown on the pictures attached to this document, belonged and was used for my father. / Sincerely, Augusto Pinochet Hiriart”; (original signature and thumb print), with an Authentication stamp of the Public Notary No. 42, and dated Santiago, January 05, 2015, countersigned by the alternate notary official). 

There are in addition to the baton two of his business cards as shown below.

A presentation version of the baton of identical craftsmanship was sold in a German auction house a few years back. However, this is the baton that Pinochet carried on all official occasions and is shown in those numerous press photographs of him. An example is shown here, but not part of the offering.

Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (November, 25, 1915 - December, 10, 2006) was a Chilean general, politician and the US-backed dictator of Chile between 1973 and 1990, who remained the Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army until 1998 and was also President of the Government Junta of Chile between 1973 and 1981. He had three batons, one for daily use (this baton), a second baton given to him by the Military academy, and a third baton which is in a museum. Pinochet assumed power in Chile following a United States-backed coup d’état on September 11, 1973 that overthrew the democratically elected socialist Unidad Popular government of President Salvador Allende and ended civilian rule. Several academics, including Peter Winn, Peter Kornbluh and Tim Weiner, have stated that the support of the United States was crucial to the coup and the consolidation of power afterward. Pinochet had been promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Army by Allende on August 23, 1973, having been its General Chief of Staff since early 1972. In December 1974, the ruling military junta appointed Pinochet Supreme Head of the nation by joint decree, although without the support of one of the coup’s instigators, Air Force General Gustavo Leigh. Following his rise to power,

Pinochet persecuted leftists, socialists, and political critics, resulting in the executions of from 1,200 to 3,200 people, the internment of as many as 80,000 people and the torture of tens of thousands. According to the Chilean government, the number of executions and forced disappearances was 3,095. Under the influence of the free market-oriented neoliberal “Chicago Boys”, Pinochet’s military government implemented economic liberalization, including currency stabilization, removed tariff protections for local industry, banned trade unions and privatized social security and hundreds of state- owned enterprises. These policies produced what has been referred to as the “Miracle of Chile” by Nobel prize winning economist Milton Friedman, but critics state that economic inequality dramatically increased and attribute the devastating effects of the 1982 monetary crisis on the Chilean economy to these policies. For most of the 1990s, Chile was the best-performing economy in Latin America, though the legacy of Pinochet’s reforms continues to be in dispute. His fortune grew considerably during his years in power through dozens of bank accounts secretly held abroad and a fortune in real estate. He was later prosecuted for embezzlement, tax fraud and for possible commissions levied on arms deals. Pinochet’s seventeen year rule was given a legal framework through a controversial 1980 plebiscite, which approved a new constitution drafted by a government-appointed commission. In a 1988 plebiscite, 56% voted against Pinochet’s continuing as President, which led to democratic elections for the presidency and Congress. After stepping down in 1990, Pinochet continued to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army until March 10, 1998, when he retired and became a senator-for-life in accordance with his 1980 Constitution. However, Pinochet was arrested under an international arrest warrant on a visit to London, England on October 10, 1998 in connection with numerous human rights violations. Following a legal battle, he was released on grounds of ill-health and returned to Chile on

March 3, 2000. In 2004, Chilean Judge Juan Guzmán Tapia ruled that Pinochet was medically fit to stand trial and placed him under house arrest. By the time of his death on December 10, 2006, about 300 criminal charges were still pending against him in Chile for numerous human rights violations during his seventeen-year rule and tax evasion and embezzlement during and after his rule. He was also accused of having corruptly amassed at least 28 million USD. Despite the indictment and 300 charges, he only served time in house arrest.