Contact | Benjamin Townsend

Inquiries and comments are welcome.

Ben Townsend, historical consultant
3 months ago
The Joint Centre for History and Economics based between Magdalene College and King's at Cambridge, has a fascinating 'Coin of the Month' feature on its blog page.
www.histecon.magd.cam.ac.uk/coins_June2017.html
These two coins were issued in 1810 (scarlet background) and 1813 (burgundy background). It is fun to compare the evolving image of Joachim Murat as ideal monarch. In 1810, just two years after his elevation to the Kingdom of Naples he sports extravagant whiskers and an earring, both of which appurtenances he has shed by 1813. His hair has also been tidied up a bit for 1813, although it still reaches unfashionably low on his neck. His nose has been altered from the nose of Murat we recognise from numerous portraits to a more idealised roman example. ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
Ben Townsend, historical consultant
6 months ago
'This two volume study is without a doubt the best, most
substantial antiquarian contribution to this field by far in unearthing so much obscure
information, especially its rich, archival trove, and could only be superseded by a
Herculean effort of many decades of research for rare titbits of information from a
monumentally diverse range of sources. This work is essential for connoisseurs,
collectors, antiquarians, reenactors, sophisticated costumers, and scholars.'

A detailed assessment of volume II of Fashioning Regulation in The Journal of Dress History
Volume 4, Issue 4, Winter 2020

www.dresshistorians.org/journal ... See MoreSee Less
The Journal of Dress History – The Association of Dress Historians
www.dresshistorians.org
The Association of Dress Historians supports and promotes the study and professional practice of the history of dress, textiles, and accessories of all cultures and regions of the world, from before c...
Ben Townsend, historical consultant
6 months ago
A very kind review from Donald E Graves on the Napoleon Series website here,

www.napoleon-series.org/book-reviews/books-on-military-subjects/fashioning-regulation-regulating-...

'I do not think many will read this book cover to cover as it is intended to be a reference work, a role which it fulfils splendidly is my belief that Fashioning Regulation, Regulating Fashion will become the standard reference on its subject and it belongs on or near the desk of any person with a professional interest in the British army of the Napoleonic period. Highly recommended.' ... See MoreSee Less
Fashioning Regulation, Regulating Fashion. The Uniforms and Dress of the British Army 1800-1815, Volumes I & 2 - The Napoleon Series
www.napoleon-series.org
Fashioning Regulation, Regulating Fashion. The Uniforms and Dress of the British Army 1800-1815, Volume I Ben Townsend Helion & Company (2019) ISBN 9781911628095 Hardback, 420 pages, 21 colour plates,...
Ben Townsend, historical consultant updated their cover photo.
6 months ago
Ben Townsend, historical consultant's cover photo ... See MoreSee Less
Photo
Ben Townsend, historical consultant
11 months ago
Thank you to Richard Warren for the kind appraisal of Fashioning Regulation on his blog, 'This Reilluminated School of Mars'. Quite apart from that, his blog really is essential reading as a model of how to get to grips with the minutiae of late Georgian uniformology, presenting a comprehensive review of the data, while sloughing off much of the accumulated crud.
thisreilluminatedschoolofmars.wordpress.com/ ... See MoreSee Less
This Re-illuminated School of Mars
thisreilluminatedschoolofmars.wordpress.com
Auxiliary forces and other aspects of Albion under Arms in the Great War against France
Latest Musings
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