{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1743894"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1743894/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NJ2405/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NJ2405/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2023NJ2405","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ2404","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ2406","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ2381","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NJ2382","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6437","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6438","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6439","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NL6440","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1743894","accessionNumber":"S.81:1, 2-2023","objectType":"Waistcoat","titles":[{"title":"Waistcoat and breeches worn by General Tom Thumb","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Charles Sherwood Stratton (1838-1883), more widely known by his stage name General Tom Thumb was a significant celebrity and performer in the  history of 19th century popular entertainment, both in the UK and worldwide. He was encouraged by American showman, entrepreneur and businessman  Phineas T. Barnum (1810-1891) to recite, sing and do comic impersonations  dressed as various characters. Barnum took advantage of Stratton’s height, a result of his proportionate dwarfism, and engaged him to feature in a number  of his shows, exhibitions and tours. Stratton was a sensation when he first appeared in London’s Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in 1844, and was invited for an audience with Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace, where he also performed. He was back in London for further vists in 1846, 1857 and 1865. His popularity in London and his depiction in numerous prints and publications says much for the insatiable appetite of the contemporary public for performers  from a variety of backgrounds, statures, and medical conditions, who were  historically referred to using the derogatory term ‘curiosities’ due to their  physical appearance. In 1863 Stratton married fellow performer Mercy Lavinia Warren, who also had a form of proportionate dwarfism. They continued touring and performing until his death following a stroke on 15th July 1883.\n\nThis waistcoat and jacket acquired by the museum from the same source, along with two miniature Napoleon Bonaparte jackets, an undershirt and boots. \n\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"<b>S.81<b>:1-2023</b></b>\r\nCream wool, lined single-breasted waistcoat with four cotton covered buttons and four buttonholes; one slit breast pocket proper left, and two flap waistline pockets above each point, one on each side of the centre opening\r\n\r\n<b>S.81:2-2023</b>\nCream wool knee-length breeches with three mother of pearl buttons and three buttonholes at the fly opening, five slightly larger buttons on the front waistband and two at the back. Leg vents at the lower end of each leg are fastened with three mother of pearl buttons and three buttonholes\r\n\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wool","id":"AAT243430"},{"text":"cotton (textile)","id":"AAT14067"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sewn","id":"AAT53658"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wool","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Costumes","id":"THES269529"},{"text":"Theatre costume","id":"THES268477"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2023NJ2405","2023NJ2404","2023NJ2406","2023NJ2381","2023NJ2382","2023NL6437","2023NL6438","2023NL6439","2023NL6440"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES402721"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES402721"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Costume","id":"AAT209261"}],[{"text":"Waistcoat","id":"AAT216053"}],[{"text":"Costume","id":"AAT209261"}],[{"text":"breeches","id":"AAT46135"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1844","earliest":"1839-01-01","latest":"1848-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.79:1 to 3-2023","id":"O1733913"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.80-2023","id":"O1743893"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.82-2023","id":"O1743895"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.83:1 to 2-2023","id":"O1743896"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.84-2023","id":"O1743897"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"16.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Centre seam of waistcoat back, top of collar to bottom of hem","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"28.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Underarm waistcoat back, side seam to side seam, lying flat","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Waistcoat slit pocket opening","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"10.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Waistcoat flap pocket openings","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"33.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Leg length of breeches at side seams","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"20.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Leg length of breeches, crotch to hem","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"27.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Waist width of breeches front, side seam to side seam, lying flat","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The waistcoat and breeches, along with two almost identical but slightly diifferent sized jackets, an undershirt, a pair of boots and a single boot, were bought by the vendor's father at auction in Taunton in the 1950s, but the vendor does not know its name. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Waistcoat and breeches worn as Napoleon Bonaparte by Charles Stratton (1838-1883), known as General Tom Thumb","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Stratton, Charles Sherwood","id":"N7473"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.81:1-2023","S.81:2-2023"],"accessionNumberNum":"81","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2023,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-27","recordCreationDate":"2023-02-10","availableToBook":false}}