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was discovered by accident in the city of Tours in 1960. "We picked it up in Tours in 1960 at the time of a work project near the rue des Tanneurs explains Maurice Dufresne. "It was found in an underground passage among beams and scrap metal, and was completely disassembled. At that time, no one knew what it was. I had the heap transported to Villeperdue where it wasn't touched for 30 years." |
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"In 1993, when I wanted to clean up the area, which had been invaded
by bramble, I discovered the base thinking that it was that of a plow.
"Little by little, as I took out the parts, I realized that it was a guillotine. We became certain when we discovered the "mouton", the piece of iron which fits on the blade to give it added weight." It is supposedly a mobile guillotine used in Indre-et-Loire during the period of terror around 1794. The uprights were painted bright red so that the splattered blood could not be seen and it was driven by two coachmen when it had to be transported (always at night) from one city of the administrative department to another. In order to maintain the mournful atmosphere which surrounds this machine, the wax heads of condemned prisoners can be seen in the adjoining hall. |
Musée Maurice Dufresne- 17, route de Marnay - 37190 Azay-le-Rideau