Bonfire of History

On the evening of 18th March 1925, a devastating fire ripped through the Marylebone premises of Madame Tussaud’s. 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 Napoléon’s carriages.

As contemporary records show Madame Tussaud’s had been much more than just waxworks, it had been a collection of ‘priceless’ art and curiosities.

With unique access to archives and contemporary records, the authors expose some major discrepancies relating to Madame Tussaud herself and the authenticity of her collection.

As Sir Nick Varney, founder of Merlin Entertainments Group – owners of Madame Tussaud, writes in his Foreword “Today Madame Tussaud’s 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 Tussaud’s 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.”

ISBN: 978-1-910533-69-7

Binding: Hardback

Size: 246 x 189mm

Pages: Printed in colour throughout

Extent: 240