{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1175361"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1175361/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LK5293/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LK5293/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019LK5293","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LK5295","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LK5296","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LK5297","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KX3709","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KX3710","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KX3711","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HY1889","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW1151","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW1152","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW1162","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW1163","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1175361/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1175361","accessionNumber":"S.2779:1 to 5-2010","objectType":"Theatre costume","titles":[{"title":"Costume for Irving in 'The Lyons Mail'","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Henry Irving (1838-1905) wore this costume as Lesurques in <i>The Lyons Mail</i> by Charles Reade (1814 -1884).  Irving played both the hard-drinking villain Dubosc, who has robbed the Lyons Mail, and the genteel hero Lesurques who is mistaken for him and arrested.  Irving needed to change costume quickly between being on stage as one character and then the other.  He was assisted in doing this by his dresser.\r\n\r\nIrving became a professional actor in 1856, and learned his trade in regional theatres until 1866, when he came to London.  He joined the Lyceum Theatre company under the management of H. L. Bateman in 1871, winning great acclaim that year for his psychologically developed characterisation of the guilt-ridden inn-keeper Mathias in Leopold Lewis’s melodrama <i>The Bells</i>.  He took on the responsibilities of ‘actor-manager’ in 1878 when he assumed the management of the Lyceum, and remained there until 1902, enjoying star status with his leading lady Ellen Terry (1847-1928).   Irving produced a diverse range of old and new plays at the Lyceum, including Shakespeare, historical drama, and literary adaptations.  His tireless work to elevate the status of the theatrical profession was rewarded in 1895 when he became the first actor ever to receive a knighthood for services to the Theatre.\r\n\r\nIrving specialised in spectacularly staged productions with large casts of performers. He commissioned designers and composers to create appropriate scenery, costume and incidental music, played by a full orchestra.  Although electric lighting was available from the 1880s, Irving preferred the softer effects of gas, with lime light to focus attention at key points in the play.  Irving toured complete productions outside London, taking the full company, scenery and costumes throughout the United Kingdom and across the United States and Canada.   The development of the railway system made his the first generation able to achieve this level of touring productions.","physicalDescription":"Costume consisting of:\r\nSwallow-tail coat of red-brown brushed cotton, double-breasted, with wide lapels and high turn-over collar. Deliberately distressed, much worn and faded, most buttons missing. Two cloth-covered buttons remain at each cuff. Padded at the chest. Cotton sateen lining.\r\nBrown moleskin breeches with fall front. Patched at each knee. Fastened at knee with four buttons at either side. Two buttons for attaching fall-front to trouser, six buttons to attach braces, four fly buttons, one waist button, and two pocket buttons. The majority of the buttons (excluding knee buttons) made by Kerslake and Dixon, two by Poole and Co, Saville Row.\r\nHigh-crowned hat in a style reminiscent of the 'D'orsay' or 'Wellington' shape fashionable in the early nineteenth century. Long strands of pale brown brown silk plush on a glazed woven fabric base, with a matching pale brown ribbed silk ribbon running around the crown. Brim upturned in a slight curve at both sides. Dark leather band facing inside brim, remainder of interior unlined.\r\nPair of extremely worn black leather top boots. Pointed toes and slight heels. Two beige canvas loops on either side of the lining of the tops. Top 7 cms of interior linings in black leather. Small hanging loop at rear.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"cotton (textile)","id":"AAT14067"},{"text":"sateen","id":"x30060"},{"text":"skin","id":"AAT11840"},{"text":"plush","id":"AAT227875"},{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"leather","id":"AAT11845"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sewing","id":"AAT53658"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre costume","id":"THES268477"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2019LK5293","2019LK5295","2019LK5296","2019LK5297","2018KX3709","2018KX3710","2018KX3711","2015HY1889","2018KW1151","2018KW1152","2018KW1162","2018KW1163"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES366821"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES366821"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES344334"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES344333"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES344333"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"coats","id":"AAT46143"}],[{"text":"theatre costumes","id":"x47007"}],[{"text":"theatre costumes","id":"x47007"}],[{"text":"breeches (trousers)","id":"AAT46135"}],[{"text":"hats","id":"AAT46106"}],[{"text":"theatre costume","id":""}],[{"text":"boots","id":"AAT46057"}],[{"text":"boots","id":"AAT46057"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1877","earliest":"1877-01-01","latest":"1877-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Royal Shakespeare Company","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"33","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"12/07/2018","earliest":"2018-07-12","latest":"2018-07-12"},"part":"Part 3","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"29","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"12/07/2018","earliest":"2018-07-12","latest":"2018-07-12"},"part":"Part 3","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"17","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"12/07/2018","earliest":"2018-07-12","latest":"2018-07-12"},"part":"Part 3","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"0.2","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"12/07/2018","earliest":"2018-07-12","latest":"2018-07-12"},"part":"Part 3","note":"2.5 kg with its box (other objects included)"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Theatrical ensemble of coat, hat, breeches and boots, worn by Henry Irving in the role of Lesurques, in C. Reade and T. Taylor's 'The Lyons Mail', 1877.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Holmes, Martin. <i>Stage Costumes and Accessories in the London Museum</i>. London : HMSO, 1968","id":"AUTH357874"},"details":"no.67","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.2779:1-2010","S.2779:2-2010","S.2779:3-2010","S.2779:4-2010","S.2779:5-2010"],"accessionNumberNum":"2779","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2010,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Museum of London number","id":"THES55722"},"number":"56.4/68a to e"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","coat","breeches","hat","boot [1]","boot [2]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-24","recordCreationDate":"2010-11-10","availableToBook":true}}