{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O106835"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O106835/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LV3919/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LV3919/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019LV3919","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O106835","accessionNumber":"S.624:1 to 2 -2001","objectType":"Marionette","titles":[{"title":"Marionette of a Chelsea Pensioner","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The maker of this puppet Harry Bigg was the brother- in-law of H.W. Whanslaw (known as Whanny) whose 1923 book <i>Everybody's Theatre</i> led in 1925 to the formation of the British Model Theatre Guild (later the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild). Bigg was also associated with Whanslow's London Marionette Theatre, where many techniques of puppet construction and control were developed, and was a puppeteer in the 1956 film <i>The Adventures of Timothy Telescope</i> that featured Whanslaw's puppet Cactus the Camel (S.453-2001). Harry Bigg's son Ronald Bigg made the marionette of a workman (S.438-2001) in the museum's collection.\n\nThis puppet of a Chelsea Pensioner in his distinctive uniform can be seen being operated in the photograph (S.3495-2013) taken at the 13th exhibition of the British Puppet and Model theatre Guild in 1938 at Victory House in London's Leicester Square. ","physicalDescription":"<b>S.624:1-2001</b>\nMarionette of a Chelsea Pensioner, unstrung\n\n<b>S.624:2-2001</b>\nWooden horizontal control bar for Chelsea Pensioner marionette","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bigg, Harry","id":"A13799"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":"Harry Bigg was the brother-in-law of the influential puppeteer Harry Whanslaw (1883-1965)"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Puppetry","id":"THES266219"},{"text":"Uniform","id":"THES253003"},{"text":"Military","id":"THES250701"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2019LV3919"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES355633"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES356361"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"puppets","id":"AAT138750"}],[{"text":"marionettes","id":"AAT211126"}],[{"text":"bar handles","id":"AAT77937"}],[{"text":"marionettes","id":"AAT211126"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1930","earliest":"1925-01-01","latest":"1934-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.3495-2013","id":"O1277554"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"The rod is marked PG-P255, the British Puppet & Model Theatre Guild number of the marionette","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Marionette of a Chelsea Pensioner with horizontal wooden control bar, made by Harry Bigg. English, ca.1930","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.624:1-2001","S.624:2-2001"],"accessionNumberNum":"624","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2001,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild number","id":"THES50295"},"number":"P.255"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-07","recordCreationDate":"2004-10-28","availableToBook":true}}