The Trois Museum Today
$1B+ of authenticated masterworks, historic artifacts, and cultural treasures — assembled over 50 years and ready now. Picasso. Dalí. Modigliani. Van Gogh. Napoleon's death mask. The world's largest private gun collection. All waiting for the right stewards to bring this to the world.
One of the World's Most Extraordinary Private Collections
Charles Trois, now 82, spent 46+ years building an exceptional collection with impeccable taste and vision. In 2012, he acquired through marriage the Vaselli Collection — the crown jewel containing museum-grade masterworks from Picasso, Dalí, Degas, Modigliani, Renoir, and Van Gogh, acquired directly by Count Romolo Vaselli through personal friendships during the 20th century's artistic golden age.
These weren't transactions — they were gifts exchanged between patron and artist when such relationships were still possible.
Charles has woven these masterworks together with the world's largest private gun collection, Napoleonic artifacts including Napoleon's death mask, dagger, and dress saddle, the world's largest cap gun collection, and countless priceless pieces into a coherent cultural narrative spanning human civilization — something the market can never reassemble.
The collection has clear, clean provenance held privately since Count Vaselli's original acquisitions. New owners may pursue raisonné catalog inclusions and perform forensic testing on-site.
The collection is in the middle of Texas. If you're genuinely moved and can envision stewarding something that celebrates human creativity for generations, Jason would be honored to coordinate a visit.
Three Rooms. One Extraordinary Legacy.
Choose the tour that matches your collecting interests — each room is a world unto itself.
Historical Collection
Firearms, weapons, Napoleon artifacts, King Farouk treasures, Native American art, Lalique — the world's largest private gun collection and an imperial archive unlike any other.
- World's largest private gun collection
- King Farouk's 785-carat emerald
- Napoleon's death mask, dagger & saddle
- Native American art
- René Lalique masterworks
The Vaselli Collection
Fine art masterworks acquired directly from the artists by Count Romolo Vaselli — not as transactions, but as gifts between friends during the 20th century's artistic golden age.
- Pablo Picasso
- Salvador Dalí
- Amedeo Modigliani
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir & Edgar Degas
- Van Gogh · Sargent · Rauschenberg
The Cap Gun Museum
The world's largest cap gun collection — a museum within a museum, representing one of the most joyful and complete collections of American childhood memory ever assembled.
- World's largest cap gun collection
- A complete museum in itself
- Available separately for $25M
- Decades of careful curation
- Exceptional condition throughout
46 Years. One Vision.
What drives a man to spend nearly half a century assembling something this extraordinary? Insight into Charles Trois's 46-year collecting journey and the philosophy behind this unprecedented collection — in his own words.
Charles isn't selling a collection. He is passing a torch. He seeks visionaries called to preserve this legacy and create a transformative public museum serving generations to come.
Watch: The Mind of Trois
Select Masterworks Available Now
Detailed documentation available for each piece. Qualified buyers are invited to schedule an in-person examination.
René Lalique Hair Ornament
Art Nouveau masterwork. Complete provenance included.
View Details
King Farouk Pistols & Dagger
24k gold inlay. Egyptian royal collection provenance.
View Details
Robert Rauschenberg — "Barely There"
Complete legal documentation and estate authentication.
View Details
Colt Pinch Frame Serial #166
Museum-grade condition. Complete documentation.
View DetailsThe Vaselli Collection Website
Complete collection site — Picasso, Dalí, Van Gogh, Modigliani, and more masterworks.
View CollectionJohn Dillinger Gun
Historic firearm with documented provenance. Complete authentication included.
View DetailsSee It With Your Own Eyes
Walk through the rooms with Charles Trois as your guide — from the grand historical collection to the Vaselli masterworks to the cap gun museum.
If a video does not load here, open the full tour in a new tab.
Room #1 — Historical Collection
World's largest private gun collection, King Farouk's 785-carat emerald, Napoleon's death mask and artifacts, Native American art, René Lalique masterworks.
Duration: ~1 Hour
Open full tour in a new tabRoom #2 — Vaselli Collection
Fine art masterworks: Picasso, Dalí, Degas, Modigliani, Renoir, Van Gogh, Sargent, Rauschenberg, turquoise collection.
Open full tour in a new tabRoom #3 — Cap Gun Museum
World's largest cap gun collection. A museum in itself. Available for $25M today.
Open full tour in a new tabVaselli Provenance
Countess Maria Vaselli discusses family history and the collection's extraordinary chain of custody.
Personal Introduction
Jason Hoar, collection representative — an introduction to the opportunity and how to get involved.
Historic Art Sale Tour
A brief guided tour by Jason Hoar through the collection masterworks — a first look at something truly singular.
A Century of Cultural Patronage & Artistic Friendship
Count Romolo Vaselli didn't buy art. He befriended artists — and they gave him their best work.
Count Romolo Vaselli: The 8th King of Rome
Time Magazine, in its January 27, 1958 issue, declared Count Romolo Vaselli "the man who rebuilt modern Rome" — transforming the city from a war-torn capital into a vibrant cultural epicenter. As owner and curator of Rome's legendary Hotel de Russie, Count Vaselli created more than a luxury establishment; he fostered a creative sanctuary where artists, musicians, composers, and intellectuals gathered to exchange ideas and inspiration.
Count Vaselli personally knew and acquired works directly from Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Amedeo Modigliani, and other masters of the 20th century. The Hotel de Russie was frequented by Sergei Diaghilev, Igor Stravinsky, Jean Cocteau, and Picasso himself when they brought the Russian Ballet to Rome.
"This collection represents an era when art patrons and creators were genuine friends, when masterworks were exchanged as gifts between kindred spirits. That world may be gone, but these pieces remain as tangible connections to those magical moments."
— From the Vaselli Family Archives
Historical Timeline
The Golden Era
Count Romolo Vaselli acquires works directly from Picasso, Dalí, Modigliani, Renoir, Matisse, and other masters at Hotel de Russie — not as transactions, but as gifts between friends.
Time Magazine Recognition
Count Vaselli declared "The Man Who Rebuilt Modern Rome" — the richest Roman of his era, worth $160 million.
Legacy Passed Forward
Count Vaselli passes away at age 87. The collection passes to his grandson Giovanni Vaselli, then makes its way to Texas.
Texas Home
The collection relocates to the heart of Texas, establishing the Trois Museum — and awaiting its next great chapter.
Private Offering
Select works and the full collection offered to collectors, institutions, and visionary stewards ready to bring this to the world.
Clear, Clean, Uncontested Ownership
The collection carries comprehensive documentation establishing an unbroken chain of custody from artist to current owner.
Chain of Custody
Direct lineage: Artist → Count Romolo Vaselli → Giovanni Vaselli → Charles Trois. Unbroken. Documented. Legally verified.
Sworn Statement
Maria Frau Vaselli (Mama Vaselli) executed a formal sworn statement on December 12, 2013 — a legally binding affidavit establishing complete provenance and custody.
Time Magazine (1958)
Count Vaselli's cultural standing is documented in Time Magazine's January 27, 1958 issue — recognizing him as the wealthiest Roman of his era and architect of modern Rome.
On-Site Forensic Testing
New owners may pursue raisonné catalog inclusions and perform forensic testing on-site. The collection welcomes qualified examination by your chosen experts.
Family Archives
A century of photographs, letters, historical records, and family documentation spanning the collection's entire history — from Hotel de Russie to Texas.
Complete Transparency
All provenance documentation available for review by qualified collectors, institutions, and their legal representatives. No mystery. No gaps. No risk.
"Italians call him the man who built modern Rome. Stocky, stingy and strongwilled, Romolo Vaselli, 75, has turned the Eternal City from a decaying, pest-ridden capital of 500,000 into a marble and concrete metropolis with a population surpassing that of Augustus' golden days. He has also made himself, as city tax records certify, the richest Roman of them all, worth some 100 billion lire ($160 million)."
— TIME Magazine, January 27, 1958
If You Feel Called — Let's Talk
Charles Trois is exploring outright sale ($1B+), museum partnerships, or LP donation structures. Above all, he seeks visionaries called to preserve this legacy and create a transformative public institution.
Ways to Engage
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Full Museum Partnership — Acquire the complete collection as the foundation of a world-class public institution.
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Outright Sale — $1B+ for the full collection, with all provenance documentation and transition support.
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LP Donation Structure — Mission-aligned acquisition pathways for institutions and philanthropic investors.
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Individual Masterworks — Select pieces available for private collectors with full documentation.
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Personal Campus Visit — Schedule a private tour with your chosen experts. In-person examination welcomed and encouraged.
Jason Hoar
Museum Representative
Call Jason to learn more and schedule a personal tour with your chosen experts. All inquiries are confidential.