{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O231715"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O231715/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CB3894/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CB3894/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009CB3894","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O231715","accessionNumber":"S.146:153-2007","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Performers in The Children's Pirates of Penzance","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The comic opera <i>The Pirates of Penzance</i> by Gilbert and Sullivan was a hit when it originally opened at London's Opera Comique on 3rd April 1880.  From 26th December 1884 until 14th February 1885, for matinees only, Richard D'Oyly Carte staged a production of it performed by children at his recently-opened Savoy Theatre while the first revival of <i>The Sorcerer</i> and <i>Trial By Jury</i> was staged in the evenings. This studio photograph shows (from top left across rows) Edward Percy as Major-General Stanley, Stephen Adeson as the Pirate King, William Pickering as Samuel, Harry Tebbutt as Frederic, Charles Adeson as the Sergeant of Police, Elsie Joel as Mabel and Georgie Esmond as Ruth. Kate, Isabel and Mabel were played rspectively by Alice Vicat, Eva Warren and Florence Montrose who do not appear in this photograph.\r\n\r\nPhotography was a novel and exciting development in Victorian days. Most actors and actresses had studio photographs taken, in everyday dress or theatrical costume, for ‘cartes de visite’, and later ‘cabinet cards’.  Both were albumen prints made from glass negatives, attached to stiff card backing printed with the photographer’s name. \r\n\r\n‘Cartes de visite’, the size of  formal visiting cards, were patented in 1854 and produced in their millions during the 1860s when it became fashionable to collect them. Their subjects included scenic views, tourist attractions and works of art, as well as portraits. They were superseded in the late 1870s by the larger and sturdier ‘cabinet cards’ whose popularity waned in turn during the 1890s in favour of postcards and studio portraits.\r\n \r\nThis photograph comes from a large collection of ‘cartes de visite’ and ‘cabinet cards’ removed from their backings and mounted in albums by Guy Tristram Little (d.1953) who bequeathed them to the V&A.  A collector of greetings cards, games and photographs, Guy Little was a partner in the legal firm Messrs Milles Jennings White & Foster, and the solicitor and executor of Mrs. Gabrielle Enthoven, whose theatrical collection formed the basis of the Theatre Collections at the V&A.","physicalDescription":"Sepia photograph (from top left across rows) of Edward Percy as Major-General Stanley, Stephen Adeson as the Pirate King, William Pickering as Samuel, Harry Trebbutt as Frederic, Charles Adeson as the Sergeant of Police, Elsie Joel as Mabel and Georgie Esmond as Ruth in <i>The Children's Pirates of Penzance</i> at the Savoy Theatre.\nFacsimile","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Sepia photograph on paper","categories":[{"text":"Children & Childhood","id":"THES48980"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Musical Theatre","id":"THES278879"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2009CB3894"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES353248"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"cabinet photographs","id":"AAT127131"}],[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1884","earliest":"1884-01-01","latest":"1884-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Guy Little","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"13.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"10.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'The Childrens \"Pirates of Penzance\" / Edward Percy / Stephen Adeson William Pickering /  Harry Tebbut Charles Adeson /  Elsie Joel / Georgie Esmond'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Written in ink on mount of photograph."}],"objectHistory":"This is one of the outstanding collection of 19th century photographs owned by Guy Little presented to the museum in the early 20th century.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph of (from top left across rows) Edward Percy as Major-General Stanley, Stephen Adeson as the Pirate King, William Pickering as Samuel, Harry Trebbutt as Frederic, Charles Adeson as the Sergeant of Police, Elsie Joel as Mabel and Georgie Esmond as Ruth in <i>The Children's Pirates of Penzance</i> at the Savoy Theatre, 1884, Guy Little Collection.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Attribution note: Photographic copy of original 19th c. photograph.","productionType":{"text":"Copy","id":"THES48865"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Percy, Edward (Master)","id":"N9252"},{"text":"Adeson, Stephen (Master)","id":"N9253"},{"text":"Pickering, William (Master)","id":"N9254"},{"text":"Trebbutt, Harry (Master)","id":"N9255"},{"text":"Adeson, Charles","id":"N9256"},{"text":"Joel, Elsie","id":"N9257"},{"text":"Esmond, Georgie","id":"N9258"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["The Childrens Pirates of Penzance","Pirates of Penzance","The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.146:153-2007"],"accessionNumberNum":"146","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2007,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Guy Little album identification numbering","id":"THES50304"},"number":"GLC XIV.ii.15.4"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-21","recordCreationDate":"2009-05-13","availableToBook":true}}