{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O103031"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O103031/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AD0963/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AD0963/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AD0963","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD0948","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O103031","accessionNumber":"S.36-1993","objectType":"Flying harness","titles":[{"title":"Peter Pan flying harness","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Flying effects have been a feature of stage performance in Great Britain since the first playhouses were built in the late 16th century. These were created by each theatre's backstage staff. In the late 19th century, however, the West End master stage carpenter George Kirby began a business which specialised in flying effects on stage, organising the routines and supplying the equipment. This is one of the body harnesses that he developed for performers to wear.  It was shaped like a corset, with leather straps attached and could be unobtrusively attached and detached from the flying wires during performances.\r\n\r\nKirby had worked with the German troupe, the Grigolatis, whose flying effects needed four stage hands to raise and traverse one performer. Kirby was convinced that his system could be less cumbersome and in 1889 developed the first pendulum flying system with quick-release mechanism. One of the earliest productions for which Kirby supplied equipment was J.M. Barrie's play <i>Peter Pan</i> at the Duke of York's Theatre in 1904. Audiences were delighted when Wendy and her brothers were able to fly with Peter from their London home to Never Never Land. The Kirby family business passed on through successive generations and continues to operate as Kirby's AFX.","physicalDescription":"Heavy twill cotton or canvas flying harness in the form of a lady's corset with leather shoulder straps, straps with holes punched to fasten into metal buckles, straps to fasten between the wearer's legs, and inset panels of leather back and front. The back leather panel was originally fitted with a device to hook and unhook the wearer into a flying line.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Kirby, G","id":"A13440"},"association":{"text":"makers","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Canvas","id":"AAT14078"},{"text":"Leather","id":"AAT11845"},{"text":"Metal","id":"AAT10900"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sewing","id":"AAT53658"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Canvas, leather and metal","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Stagewear","id":"THES393184"},{"text":"Theatre costume","id":"THES268477"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AD0963","2006AD0948"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"104","id":"THES49929"},"free":"","case":"CA017","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"flying harness","id":"THES414575"}],[{"text":"theatrical property","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1904","earliest":"1904-01-01","latest":"1904-12-31"},"association":{"text":"Made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.122-2024","id":"O1542395"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by Nick Kirby","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"60","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"30","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"23","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Miss Coates'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Writtten in ink on a small oval label stuck to the back centre of the leather panel."}],"objectHistory":"Made by George Kirby to be used in the flying scenes of the original production of J.M. Barrie's <i>Peter Pan</i>, Duke of York's Theatre, London, 27 December 1904.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Flying harness made by George Kirby for the original production of <i>Peter Pan</i> by J.M. Barrie, Duke of York's Theatre, 27 December 1904","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"This harness was used in the first production of J.M. Barrie's play <i>Peter Pan</i>. It was part of a flying system devised in the 1890s by George Kirby, whose company still operates today. Pulleys and wires allowed performers to fly across the stage as well as up and down. The flying line would have been attached to a metal catch on the back of the harness,","date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["S.36-1993"],"accessionNumberNum":"36","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1993,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LX0253"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-12","recordCreationDate":"2004-09-01","availableToBook":false}}