Madame Sherri’s Album

If you live in Chesterfield, New Hampshire you have most likely heard of Madame Sherri and her mysterious "Castle" in the woods along the Gulf Road. Madame Antoinette Sherri was an extravagant Broadway costume designer during the era of magnificently staged reviews such as the Ziegfeld Follies. The Madame had a varied and mysterious life which I outline in my article this week for the New England Photography Guild Blog (To be Published 3/24/14). Today, she is mostly remembered for the summer retreat that she built in 1931 to entertain her friends from the city. All that remains of her "Castle" is the foundation and a marvelous native stone spiral staircase, which now rises sadly to the sky.

 

 

Recently Madame Sherri’s colorful life history has been exhaustively explored by fellow Chesterfield Conservation Commission Member Lynne Borofsky.  I partnership with the Chesterfield Historical Society, Lynne has been able to answer many of the questions surrounding the Madame’s history, especially as related to her time in Chesterfield, but many mysteries remain.  Lynne has  also been fortunate to gain access to many photographs from Madame Sherri’s original photograph albums and it has been my privilege to work on the restoration of these images.  They provide a wonderfully personal window on the Madame’s life.  I have included some of the pictures in this week’s NEPG Blog, but since space was limited I decide to arrange more in this separate album.  

Young Madame

 

 

Andre & Madame



Madame & Andre Puerto Rico Wedding

Madame and Pigeons 

Chain Smoker

Charles Lamaire

 

Primrose Path

Furlone Farm, Madame's Home

 

Main Stairway

 

Rare Castle Interior Image

After the fire

 

The Ruins

 

Mystery of Madame Sherri NEPG Article
  (to be published 3/24/14)