The 10th International Napoleonic Fair, held on Sunday 16th February at London’s Royal National Hotel, was a great success. The show, which attracted visitors from all over the world, is well and truly established as the subject area’s key event.
Before the doors opened at nine thirty more than eighty enthusiasts were already queuing outside.
There was a wide range of exhibitors, with Napoleonic merchandise from models and replica weapons to historical artefacts and computer games as well as demonstration wargames and displays put on by the Napoleonic Association and others.
The exhibitors included a number of veterans, such as Battlescene Pictures,Bonaparte’s,Ian Fletcher Battlefield Tours and Librarie HistoriqueTeissedre from Paris. A vast range of antiquarian and secondhand bookswere also on offer, making the show the event to come to if you want to track down that elusive first edition.
Celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Napoleonic Fair, a number of exhibitors gave special discounts. Eight exhibitors celebrated being in every event since the Napoleonic Fair started: Boneparte’s, Caliver Books,Greenhill Books, Hersants Military Books, Spellmount, Ken Trotman, Robin Turner and Worley Publications.
This year’s wargames featured the Loughton Strike Force, presenting the Assault on the Hill of Arinez, Vittoria 1813, the Battle of Toulouse by Southend Wargames Club and a Peninsular Battle by the Napoleonic Gamers.
Lectures at the International Napoleonic Fair are often regarded as a highlight of the event and this year was no exception. David Markham, who flew in from Seattle especially for the event, spoke on the way Napoleon used his bulletins for propaganda, then signed copies of his new book,Imperial Glory. His speech was chaired by John Hughes-Wilson.
Ian Robertson later presented a well-attended talk on Wellington’s campaign in France, chaired by John S. White, then autographed copies of his latest book, WELLINGTON INVADES FRANCE:THE FINAL PHASE OF THE PENINSULAR WAR,1813-1814.
The Fair had a real international flavour with visitors from France,America, Belgium, Spain and Germany. In addition a number of leading Napoleonic authors were present, including Dr David Chandler, Andrew Uffindell, Rene Chartrand, Digby Smith, Peter Hofschroer and W. Y Carman.
Photographs of the Fair can be viewed and downloaded from the GreenhillBooks website at www.greenhillbooks.com.