{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1661690"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1661690/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NC0135/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NC0135/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NC0135","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NC0134","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NC0897","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1661690/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1661690","accessionNumber":"S.1107:1 to 2-2021","objectType":"Theatre costume","titles":[{"title":"Bicorn and carrying tin for the bicorn worn by Martyn Green in HMS Pinafore","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The inscription in this hat shows that it was worn by Martyn Green. William Martyn Green (1889-1975) joined the chorus of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in November 1922, understudying Henry Lytton and standing in for him during Lytton's recovery from a car crash in 1931. Green became the company’s principal comedian in August 1934 after Lytton’s retirement that August, playing leading patter roles including Sir Joseph Porter in <i>HMS Pinafore,</i> the Lord Chancellor in <i>Iolanthe</i>, Reginald Bunthorne in <i>Patience</i>, Ko-Ko in <i>The Mikado</i> and Major General Stanley in <i>The Pirates of Penzance.</i> Green remained with the company, with a break during the war from 1939 until 1946, until 1951 when he left to pursue a career in America.\n\nSir Joseph Porter is one of W.S. Gilbert's earliest characters singing comic patter songs. The role of the First Lord of the Admiralty who had never ever been to sea was played by George Grossmith in the original production that opened at London's Opera Comique in May 1878. Gilbert based the character on the Conservative member of parliament W.H. Smith(1825-1891) who became First Lord of the Admiralty in 1877, despite never having been to sea. Writing to Sullivan while he was writing the piece in December 1877, Gilbert noted: 'The fact that the First Lord in the opera is a Radical of the most pronounced type will do away with any suspicion that W. H. Smith is intended'.\n\nThe bespoke tin was made by Hawkes &amp; Company, the firm established by Thomas Hawkes in 1771 in London's Brewer Street that moved to number 17 (later number 14) Piccadilly in 1793.","physicalDescription":"<b>S.1107:1-2021\n</b>Black velvet bicorn with gold twisted wire decoration at each end and a black taffeta bow sewn flat underneath gold corded decoration thta features a brass button with a raised anchor motif. With a black cotton lining and a cream kid hat band inscribed: 'Martyn Green Esq.'\n\n<b>S.1107:2-2021\n</b>Scratched hinged, handled tin, worn to the original metal in multiple places. With two metal plaques attached, one embossed with the name of the maker Hawkes &amp; Co., Piccadilly, and one engraved with the name of the original owner Capt. the Hon. R. Leigh ADC","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Hawkes & Co.","id":"A37064"},"association":{"text":"makers","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Musical Theatre","id":"THES278879"},{"text":"Opera","id":"THES263971"},{"text":"Military","id":"THES250701"},{"text":"Theatre costume","id":"THES268477"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2021NC0135","2021NC0134","2021NC0897"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES344333"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES344333"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"theatre costumes","id":""}],[{"text":"bicorns","id":"AAT210870"}],[{"text":"military uniforms","id":"AAT248030"}],[{"text":"theatre costumes","id":""}],[{"text":"containers","id":"AAT45659"}],[{"text":"tins","id":"AAT216970"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.1108:1-2021","id":"O1661691"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by The D'Oyly Carte Company","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"18.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Maximum height of bicorn","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"46.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Maximum length of bicorn","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"20.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Maximum height of tin case","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"48.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Maximum length of tin case","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"15.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Maximum depth of tin case","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This bicorn and its original carrying case would have been acquired by the D'Oyly Carte Company some time, possibly from its original owner and remained witth them until its donation to the museum in 2020","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Admiral's bicorn worn by Martyn Green (1899-1975) as Sir Joseph Porter KCB, First Lord of the Admiralty in D'Oyly Carte Company productions of <i>HMS Pinafore</i> by Gilbert & Sullivan, with original tin container made by Hawkes & Company\r\n\r","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1107:1-2021","S.1107:2-2021"],"accessionNumberNum":"1107","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2021,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"2021-09-09","availableToBook":true}}