{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1174697"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1174697/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER0528/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER0528/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011ER0528","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER0527","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER0470","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1174697/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1174697","accessionNumber":"S.2530:1-2010","objectType":"Costume design","titles":[{"title":"Emile Littler Archive","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"Costume design for Miss Ismay in Act III of a production of <i>Our Peg</i> at Princes Theatre, Manchester in 1919. The design is signed and dated Comelli, 1919.\r\n\r\nComelli (1858-1925) was the house designer of the Royal Opera House from the late 1880s to the early 1920s. During this period he also worked for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and also designed costumes from a number of Gilbert&Sullivan productions.\r\n\r\n<i>Our Peg</i> a musical play in three acts, founded upon <i>Masks and Faces</i> (by Tom Taylor and Charles Reade) with music by Harold Fraser-Simson and a libretto by Harry Graham and Edward Knoblock at Prince's Theatre Manchester, 1919. This play was only performed in the provinces and achieved comparatively little success before it was reproduced under the title of <i>Our Nell</i> (the original heroine, Peg Woffington, being replaced by Nell Gwynne). This new production was written by Louis N. Parker, Reginald Arkell with additional music composed by Harold Fraser-Simson and Ivor Novello. It opened at the Gaiety Theatre in April of 1924.\r\n\r\nThis design come from a collection of items given to the Museum by the Emile Littler Estate. Emile Littler (1903-1985) was a manager and producer, whose early career embraced both general theatrical management and stage management before he started in management on his own in 1934. He was married to the actress and Principal boy Cora Goffin whose success was such that her legs were insured for £20,000. She continued to tour the provinces and Ireland in her husband's productions until her retirement from the stage in 1940.  By the 1950s Littler was presenting plays, musicals and pantomimes and during his lifetime he wrote and directed over fifteen productions at various London theatres and over 200 throughout Britain. In 1974 he received a Knighthood and was made a freeman of the city of London. He died 11 years later in January 1985.","physicalDescription":"Costume design for Miss Ismay in a production of <i>Our Peg</i> at Princes Theatre, Manchester in 1919. It shows a full length image of a woman dressed in a white eighteenth century style gown which finishes just above the ankle. The dress has a wide stiff skirt patterned in red and blue flowers. The elbow length sleeves are gathered in a series of puffs, the cuffs trimmed with lace. The fitted bodice has a central red stomacher and is trimmed at the neckline with a gold bow, with a spray of red flowers at either side of it. She carries a closed white fan in her left hand and wears a similar spray of flowers in her hair.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Comelli, Attilio","id":"A30582"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":"probably"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"millboard","id":"AAT14233"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"free-hand drawing","id":"AAT53181"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink and watercolour","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2011ER0528","2011ER0527","2011ER0470"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES356594"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES356594"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES356594"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costume design","id":"AAT163423"}],[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}],[{"text":"paintings","id":"AAT33618"}],[{"text":"costume design","id":"AAT163423"}],[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}],[{"text":"dress fabrics","id":"x40573"}],[{"text":"dress fabrics","id":"x40573"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1919","earliest":"1919-01-01","latest":"1919-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"THM/144","id":"ARC68566"},"association":"Series"}],"creditLine":"Gift of the Estate of Emile Littler","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"36.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Miss Ismay/act III","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in pencil at the right hand corner of the design."},{"content":"* I","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in pencil in the top right hand corner of the design"},{"content":"","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":"Costume design for Miss Ismay in Act III of a production of <i>Our Peg</i> at Princes Theatre Manchester in 1919. Emile Littler Archive.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Old Peg"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.2530:1-2010","S.2530:2-2010","S.2530:3-2010"],"accessionNumberNum":"2530","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2010,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Archive number","id":"THES54576"},"number":"THM/144"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","costume design [1]","costume design [2]","dress fabrics"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2010-10-20","availableToBook":true}}