{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1510643"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1510643/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019ME7300/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019ME7300/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019ME7300","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019ME7301","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019ME7302","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1510643","accessionNumber":"S.612:1 to 6-2019","objectType":"Camera","titles":[{"title":"Camera belonging to theatre photographer Douglas H. Jeffery","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Camera used by theatre photographer, Douglas H. Jeffery (1917-2009).\n\r\nWhen theatre photographer Douglas H. Jeffery died, he left an archive of over two million negatives, which was acquired by the V&A. An obituary called it ‘one of the most comprehensive libraries of theatre photography in Britain’ (Guardian, 14 February 2009). It is a record of over 10.000 productions.\n\r\nJeffery became interested in photography when working for camera and photographic supplies company, Kodak. He was fascinated by the chemistry involved in film processing. He began taking his own photographs in the 1940s, using a second-hand camera, and, initially, made his living by photographing weddings and horse races.  He also photographed the productions at the Richmond Park open-air theatre for a local newspaper, and this led to a career as a stage photographer.  In the 1950s Jeffery was instrumental in setting up the system of ‘photocalls’ to give photographers access to productions before the opening night. He would draw up schedules and liaise with venues to prevent the calls from overlapping. \n\r\nFrom the 1960s to the 1980s Jeffery provided national newspapers with theatre images on a daily basis. Unlike many theatre photographers he was happy to visit fringe venues as well as the major West End houses. He also took informal pictures of other photographers and theatre practitioners when he attended the photocalls.\n\r\nIn the 1980s, changing fashions and technological developments caused Jeffery to lose work: his clean and clear record images fell out of favour with newspapers that were requiring interpretative pictures, and his insistence on using film created problems in an increasingly digital world. However he carried on photographing productions into the early 2000s.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Wooden 18x24 field camera made by Curt Benzin in Görlitz. The object has six parts: \r\n\r\n*Camera Body, \r\n*Three film-magazines \r\n*Exposition cord  (5 cm)\r\n*Crank for adjusting the camera. \r\nThe lens is not the part of the object.\r\n\r\nThe camera was made at the end of nineteenth century. ","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Cameras","id":"THES280056"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2019ME7300","2019ME7301","2019ME7302"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES348590"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES348590"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES348590"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES348590"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES348590"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES348590"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"cameras","id":"AAT22636"}],[{"text":"cameras","id":"AAT22636"}],[{"text":"cameras","id":"AAT22636"}],[{"text":"cameras","id":"AAT22636"}],[{"text":"cameras","id":"AAT22636"}],[{"text":"cameras","id":"AAT22636"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 19th century","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1899-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"THM/374","id":"ARC73607"},"association":"Archive record"}],"creditLine":"Given by the estate of Douglas H. Jeffery","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Wooden 18x24 field camera made by Curt Benzin, belonging to the theatre photographer, Douglas H. Jeffery ","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.612:1-2019","S.612:2-2019","S.612:3-2019","S.612:4-2019","S.612:5-2019","S.612:6-2019"],"accessionNumberNum":"612","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2019,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"V&A Archive number","id":"THES54576"},"number":"THM/374"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-23","recordCreationDate":"2019-09-12","availableToBook":false}}