{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O122861"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O122861/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AB9217/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AB9217/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AB9217","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O122861","accessionNumber":"S.1056-1996","objectType":"Figurine","titles":[{"title":"W.S. Penley as Charley's Aunt","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This small plastic souvenir celebrates the famous part played by W.S. (William Sydney) Penley (1852-1912) in the farce <i>Charley's Aunt</i> by Brandon Thomas, which opened at London's Royalty Theatre in December 1892. It shows Penley as Lord Fancourt Babberley, or 'Babbs', disguised as Donna Lucia d’Alvadorez, the aunt from Brazil - 'where the nuts come from'. It is modelled on a ceramic figurine designed by Albert Toft and made by Royal Doulton in 1913.\r\n\r\nPenley, a boy chorister at the Savoy Chapel, first appeared on stage in 1875 in the original production of <i>Trial By Jury</i>, but made his name in 1884 as Reverend Robert Spalding in <i>The Private Secretary</i> at London's Globe Theatre. He was associated with this part until 1892 when he produced and starred in <i>Charley's Aunt</i> at Bury St. Edmunds. The play was staged at the Royalty Theatre in London that December, and transferred to the Globe in 1893.  It was a huge success, achieving the record-breaking run of 1,466 performances.  Several different posters and souvenirs were produced during its run.","physicalDescription":"Tiny plastic figurine of W.S. Penley dressed as Charley's Aunt, wearing a cream shawl and a painted black dress, his hands crossed in front of him.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"makers","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"plastic","id":"AAT14570"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"","id":""},{"text":"moulding","id":"x46876"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Moulded and painted plastic","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AB9217"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES355435"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"figurines","id":"AAT47455"}],[{"text":"souvenir","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1913","earliest":"1908-01-01","latest":"1917-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.14-1976","id":"O119403"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.1433-1986","id":"O116768"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.1050-1996","id":"O84913"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"9.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"at widest point","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"at deepest point","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Figurine of W.S. Penley (1852-1912) in the title role of the play <i>Charley's Aunt</i> by Brandon Thomas, a role which Penley first played at Bury St Edmunds, February 1892, and later in a record-breaking run in London.  Based on a figure designed by Albert Toft. Plastic, ca.1913","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Charley's Aunt"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1056-1996"],"accessionNumberNum":"1056","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1996,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-09","recordCreationDate":"2006-04-07","availableToBook":true}}