BONFIRE of HISTORY: The Lost Treasures, Trophies & Trivia of Madame Tussaud's by

Description: BONFIRE of HISTORY by Christopher Joll, Penny Cobham, Sir Nick Varney In 1925 a fire ripped through the Marylebone premises of Madame Tussauds 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. FORMAT Hardcover CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description On the evening of 18th March 1925, a devastating fire ripped through the Marylebone premises of Madame Tussauds. By the time the fire was extinguished the following morning, little was left of the world-famous waxworks beyond a few grotesquely distorted models and a pile of scrap iron, which was the remnants of one of Napoléons carriages.Those who now visit the waxworks probably assume that what was lost in 1925 was no very different to the present displays. However, the catalogues pre-dating the fire tell a very different story, for there was so much more to Madame Tussaud & Sons Exhibition than wax representations of the famous and the notorious.The fact is that the French model maker, and the three generations of her family who managed the business after her, were avid collectors of works of art, memorabilia and trivia relating to their displays: Madame Tussauds was, in fact, more of a cabinet of historical curiosities than a wax works.This is evidenced by the lost collection, which ranged from the bloodstained shirt of King Henri IV, worn when he was assassinated in 1610, to the blade of the original guillotine, via a large collection of 18th and 19th century pictures and sculptures by many of the leading artists of their day, furniture, clothing, and a priceless collection of Napoléonica from the Emperors tooth to three of his own carriages.Using contemporary accounts, the pre-fire catalogues, insurance inventories, and with unique access to the Madame Tussauds archives, Christopher Jolls and Penny Cobhams new illustrated book describes in chronological order the extraordinary items that were lost in 1925, set in the context of Madame Tussauds own story and the historical events surrounding the items in the lost collection – and, along the way, uncovers many fakes and forgeries, as well as a wealth of irreplaceable and priceless historical treasures. Author Biography CHRISTOPHER JOLL MA is the regimental historian of the Household Cavalry, an advisor on militaria to auctioneers Cheffins and Sworders, a lecturer for several cruise lines, and the author of 17 books of faction, fact, and biography, and has co-authored a further three. As an historian, he is fascinated by the coincidences, quirks and trivia of history.PENELOPE, VISCOUNTESS COBHAM CBE is a Trustee of the British Napoléonic Bicentenary Trust, and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. For 8 years she was Chairman of VisitEngland, the national tourist board, and in 2020 stood down as Director General of The 5% Club. Inter alia, she has been a Director/Trustee of Historic Royal Palaces and the V&A. Table of Contents Foreword by Nick Varney 9;Preface by James Tussaud 11;Acknowledgements 13;Authors Note 14;Introduction 19;Prologue 23;1. The Great Illusionist 31;2. From Pharaohs to the Renaissance 45;3. Stuart Sovereigns and French Fakes 57;4. King George I to the French Consulate 75;5. Napoléon and the Imperial Family 95;6. Napoléonica 115;7. The Paintings by Jacques-Louis David 131;8. Elba, Waterloo and Wellington 145;9. St Helena 167;10. The Bourbon Restoration & the Second French Empire 179;11. King George IV to Queen Victoria 195;12. A Cabinet of Curiosities 217;Epilogue 225;Index 228;About the Authors 239. Review "Today Madame Tussauds is one of the most successful and well-known brands in the location-based entertainment industry with 23 attractions spanning four continents.… But in many ways this is something of a miracle – for Madame Tussauds is a great British survival story… Penny and Christopher have brought our lost collection back to life. In so doing, they have also filled in much of the missing historical background relating to the collection and have uncovered some uncomfortable truths about the authenticity of some of the items that were on display." Sir Nick Varney, founder of Merlin Entertainments Group – owners of Madame Tussaud. Details ISBN1910533696 Author Sir Nick Varney Pages 240 Publisher Nine Elms Books Year 2023 ISBN-13 9781910533697 Format Hardcover Publication Date 2023-11-13 Imprint Nine Elms Books Subtitle The Lost Treasures, Trophies & Trivia of Madame Tussauds Place of Publication London Country of Publication United Kingdom Illustrations Colour illustrated throughout Audience General UK Release Date 2023-11-13 ISBN-10 1910533696 DEWEY 069.0942109 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:151559835;

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