In 1925 a fire ripped through the Marylebone premises of Madame Tussaud's waxworks. Little was left beyond a few grotesquely distorted models. It had also been a museum of 'priceless' curiosities. With unique access to archives, the authors expose some major discrepancies relating to Madame Tussaud herself and the authenticity of her collection.
To give political legitimacy to his Empire, Emperor Napoleon I created an enduring image of Napoleonic France as the contemporary equivalent of Imperial Rome. The tangible remains of this grand, imperial 'theatre' has excited collectors ever since.
The United Kingdom is a treasure-trove of military acquisitions - ranging from the bizarre to the priceless. In 'The Spoils of War' historian Christopher Joll unveils the remarkable, and often strange, stories of how and where many of them were procured.