{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1657606"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1657606/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB4710/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB4710/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NB4710","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1657606/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1657606","accessionNumber":"S.1070:1 to 2-2021","objectType":"Souvenir","titles":[{"title":"Souvenir cutout of Catherine Ferguson as Cousin Hebe in HMS Pinafore","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Souvenir figures such as this became popular in the 1920s, apparently after a set representing dancers with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes Company were issued by Cyril  Beaumont. He had the idea in about 1914 to produce them from artwork representing the  dancers in costume, hoping they would: 'supply the demand for something between a photograph and a statuette'. A 1928 catalogue of Beaumont's publications notes: 'The figures, which are of wood, average 8¾ inches high, and are hand-coloured with special care  to ensure accuracy of costume. The black stands on which the figures are mounted are easily removable to afford facility in packing. The figures are priced at 7s.6d. net.' \r\n\r\nThis figure of Catherine Ferguson is one of several representing singers in roles they played with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company productions in its 1921 to 1922 season at London's Princes Theatre. They were reproduced from photographs and would have been issued in 1922 by the Artograph Technical and Photographic Company, located at 16, Grape Street, New Oxford Street, behind the Princes Theatre.\n\nThe soprano Catherine Ferguson joined the D'Oyly Carte Repertory Opera Company in January 1918, replacing Nellie Briercliffe as its principal soubrette. She played Constance in <i>The Sorcerer</i>, Cousin Hebe in <i>HMS Pinafore</i>, Edith in <i>The Pirates of Penzance</i>, the Lady Angela in <i>Patience</i>, the title role in <i>Iolanthe</i>, Melissa in <i>Princess Id</i>a, Pitti-Sing in <i>The Mikado</i>, Phoebe Meryll in <i>The Yeomen of the Guard</i>, and Tessa in <i>The Gondoliers</i>. She played these parts until she left the company in June 1923, except for an eighteen week period in the 1919-1920 season when Nellie Briercliffe returned to reprise her former roles.","physicalDescription":"<b>S.1070:1-2021</b>\r\nPlywood cutout figure mounted with a photographic image of Catherine Ferguson as Cousin Hebe in <i>HMS Pinafore</i>\r\n\r\n<b>S.1070:2-2021</b>\r\nWooden base for the figure","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"The Artograph Company","id":"AUTH372975"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28674"},"note":"Other similar figures in this bequest are stamped with the name: 'The Artograph Company, Technical and Commercial Photography' but described in publicity in 1924 for a set of Gilbert  & Sullivan postcards as: 'The Artograph Publishing Co.' "}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Printed paper on plywood","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Musical Theatre","id":"THES278879"},{"text":"Souvenirs","id":"THES287379"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2021NB4710"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES355409"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES355409"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"souvenirs","id":"AAT28886"}],[{"text":"figures","id":"AAT189808"}],[{"text":"cutouts","id":"AAT257411"}],[{"text":"bases","id":"AAT475"}],[{"text":"figures","id":"AAT189808"}],[{"text":"cutouts","id":"AAT257411"}],[{"text":"stands","id":"AAT39767"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1922","earliest":"1922-01-01","latest":"1922-12-31"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":"This figure is undated but can be dated by the singer and date of the production"}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.1071:1-2021","id":"O1657607"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Peter Parker","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"20.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"maximum height of figure","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"0.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"depth of figure","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"0.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"height of base","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"10.10","unit":"cm","qualifier":"width of base","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"3.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"depth of base","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This cutout figure, one of thirteen similar items in the bequest, was inherited by Peter Parker, along with a quantity of other objects related to the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company,  from his father Stanley H. Parker (d.1960). Stanley Parker 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. In 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.\r\n\r\nThis was subsequently part of Peter Parker's bequest to the V&A.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Souvenir plywood cutout figure with wooden stand of Catherine Ferguson (1898-1972) as Cousin Hebe in <i>HMS Pinafore</i> by Gilbert and Sullivan with the D'Oyly Carte Company during their season at the Princes Theatre London, 3rd October 1921 to 8th April 1922. Produced by the Artograph Company, 1922","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1070:1-2021","S.1070:2-2021"],"accessionNumberNum":"1070","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2021,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"2021-09-06","availableToBook":true}}