{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1277587"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1277587/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX5732/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX5732/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GX5732","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1277587/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1277587","accessionNumber":"S.3498-2013","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Photograph of puppeteers at the opening of the 13th Exhibition of the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, 1938","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The photograph shows fourteen-year-old Molly Sheldrake, billed as Britain's youngest Punch and Judy performer, who opened  the 13th annual exhibition of the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild at Victory House, Leicester Square, London. The exhibition drew large crowds and ran from 24th to 30th October 1938, featuring almost 250 puppets, with 25 different troupes giving about 70 demonstrations. There was a lot of publicity, and in his article on the exhibition in the periodical, the <i>World's Fair</i>, 5 November 1938, Gerald Morice noted that Tuesday, 25 October, was a foggy, wet and cold day but that they filmed scenes from a marionette show all morning, from in front and behind, for British Movietone News. He added that all the national daily papers with the exception of the <i>Daily Mirror</i> carried stories about the exhibition, mostly with photographs, and that Molly, as 'the youngest Punch and Judy performer in the country', caught the press's imagination.\n\nMollie Sheldrake holds Punch and Judy puppets. The other puppets in the photograph are from companies in Amiens, where the Picard tradition of rod and string puppets was revived in the 1930s. \n\n","physicalDescription":"Black and white press agency photograph of eight marionettes standing on the ground being manipulated by puppeteers whose heads are not in shot, with Molly Sheldrake, kneeling, holding a Mr. Punch, and a Judy with a baby.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Sport & General Press Agency Ltd","id":"AUTH328944"},"association":{"text":"photographers","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Children & Childhood","id":"THES48980"},{"text":"Puppetry","id":"THES266219"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014GX5732"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES356623"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1938","earliest":"1938-01-01","latest":"1938-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.3495-2013","id":"O1277554"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"S.3496-2013","id":"O1277555"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"S.3497-2013","id":"O1277564"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"S.3499-2013","id":"O1277590"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Given by Gerald Morice","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"21.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"British Puppet Week. Exhibition at Victory House, Leicester Square, at which members of the British Puppet Guild are showing exhibits and taking part in displays, and which will last for a week.  576645 French and English Puppets arriving at the exhibition. S&G. 24/10/38. ETF","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Stamped in blue ink verso"},{"content":"J4903","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"pencilled reference number, verso"},{"content":"Sport & General Press Agency. Limited, London","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Stamped in blue ink, verso"},{"content":"This photograph must not be reproduced in any form without our official permit","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Stamped in blue ink verso"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph of puppets and the puppeteer Molly Sheldrake outside Victory House, Leicester Square. taken to advertise the opening of the 13th Exhibition of the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild exhibition, 24 October 1938. Black and white photograph by the Sport & General Press Agency Ltd. Gerald Morice Collection","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},{"text":"Leicester Square","id":"x43496"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[{"text":"British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild","id":"C3936"}],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.3498-2013"],"accessionNumberNum":"3498","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2013,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-14","recordCreationDate":"2014-01-02","availableToBook":true}}