{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1657597"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1657597/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB4466/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB4466/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NB4466","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1657597/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1657597","accessionNumber":"S.1061-2021","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Photograph of Sylvia Cecil","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The singer and actress Sylvia Cecil (1898-1983) joined the D'Oyly Carte Repertory Opera Company in December 1918, playing the Plaintiff in <i>Trial By Jury,</i> Ella in <i>Patience,</i>and Fiametta in <i>The Gondoliers. </i>In 1919 she added the title roles of <i>Patience</i>, and <i>Princess Ida</i>, Yum-Yum in <i>The Mikado, </i>Elsie Maynard in <i>The Yeomen of the Guard, </i>and Casilda in <i>The Gondoliers</i>. In 1920, she added the role of Rose Maybud in <i>Ruddigore</i>, recreating the role for its first revival in Glasgow in November 1920, and in London in January 1921 at the Princes Theatre. She left the company in 1921 but rejoined in January 1930 playing Josephine in <i>H.M.S. Pinafore</i>, Mabel in <i>The Pirates of Penzance</i>, Yum-Yum in <i>The Mikado</i>, Rose Maybud in <i>Ruddigore, </i>and Gianetta in <i>The Gondoliers</i>. Her last season with the company was in 1936 to 1937, after which she continued to act in London and on regional tours for many years, appearing regularly in concerts and on the radio.\n\nThe society and royal photographer Alexander Bassano (1829-1913) made his name in Victorian London and opened his first studo in Regent Street in 1850. The studio moved to  Piccadilly in 1859, Pall Mall in 1863, and Old Bond Street in 1877. Bassano retired in 1903 when the premises were refurbished, and the company was relaunched as 'Bassano Ltd, Royal Photographers'. The studio moved again in 1921 to new premises at 38 Dover Street. \n\n\n\n","physicalDescription":"Head and shoulders studio photographic portrait of Sylvia Cecil, full-face. She rests her elbows on what is probably a decorative carved chair back, her hands to her fac, her fingers entwined. In a presentation folder, the white card mount bearing a crown, the trademark name 'Bassano Ltd.' in cursive script, and the studio address. Signed in ink by the sitter.\n","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Bassano Ltd., Royal Photographers","id":"A36918"},"association":{"text":"photographers","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photograph mounted on card","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Musical Theatre","id":"THES278879"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2021NB4466"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES356684"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":"Taken in the studio of Bassano Ltd., 25, Bond Street"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1920","earliest":"1920-01-01","latest":"1920-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":"Sylvia Cecil's inscription and autograph dates this photograph to 1920, two years after she started appearing with th D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and a year before Bassano Ltd. moved studio location from Bond Street to Grafton Street."}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Peter Parker","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"34.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Including mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Including mount","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'To Mr. Parker/With all good wishes/Yours very sincerely/ Sylvia Cecil 1920.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in ink by Sylvia Cecil on the mount"}],"objectHistory":"This photograph was inherited by Peter Parker, who bequeathed it to the museum, from his   father Stanley H. Parker (d.1960) who was employed by the Savoy Hotel as a junior clerk in May 1909, straight from school. From that job, on the death of Helen D'Oyly Carte in 1913, he was appointed by Rupert D'Oyly Carte to understudy George A. Richardson who managed the theatre from November 1911 to February 1915.\r\n\r\nIn 1913 Stanley H. Parker became Rupert and (later) Bridget D'Oyly Carte's private secretary, also secretary of both the Savoy Theatre Ltd., and the Opera Company. He worked for the company for 51 years, until his death in 1960.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph of Sylvia Cecil (1898-1983) by Bassano Ltd., 25 Old Bond Street, London, 1920","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Cecil, Sylvia","id":"AUTH372967"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1061-2021"],"accessionNumberNum":"1061","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2021,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2021-09-06","availableToBook":true}}