{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O86265"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O86265/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH2143/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH2143/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH2143","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O86265/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O86265","accessionNumber":"S.393:52-2002","objectType":"Caricature","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This caricature is of Walton and Lester who were performing at the Hippodrome, Stoke-on-Trent, during the week of 19 August 1907. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke and compiled in a series of albums.\r\n\r\nWalton & Lester were the comedy duo billed as ‘The World’s Worst Wizards’ or ‘The World’s Worst Hypnotists’. At Stoke-on-Trent they made their entrance on a houseboat in smart clothes and sang the song ‘Down by the River’. A reviewer noted, ‘Their muddled magic, and their comments thereon, are absolutely side-splitting ... their cannon-and-trunk trick is enough to tickle the most morose’.\r\n\r\nMagic and hypnotism were two popular acts on the music hall stage. It gave their act a new twist to be deliberately bad at both, wearing comic costume and hairstyles. A later and more famous incompetent comic magician in this tradition was Tommy Cooper.","physicalDescription":"Pen, ink and wash caricature of the Music Hall performers Walton and Lester. The performer (left) has a black jacket and trousers, a shock of black hair and a spikey moustache, and is balancing a ping-pong ball on his left hand, while the other (right) has a shock of ginger hair and wears a black cut-away jacket with a large white collar, a red bow tie, a red waistcoat and brown checked trousers. They both wear elongated boots.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cooke, George","id":"A10376"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Pen and ink","id":"x30618"},{"text":"Watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Drawn","id":"x30545"},{"text":"Painted","id":"x30138"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink and wash on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Caricatures & Cartoons","id":"THES48983"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AH2143"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES352333"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Hanley","id":"x32079"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"August 1907","earliest":"1907-08-01","latest":"1907-08-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"25","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"16.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Yours muysteriously ?? Walton & Les...  The World's Worst ,,,","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"Pen and ink","method":"Hand written","position":"Lower right of page, where the page appears, from the missing words in the inscription, to have been trimmed","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Signature","note":"Signature; Lower right of page, where the page appears, from the missing words in the inscription, to have been trimmed; Hand written; Pen and ink"}],"objectHistory":"This caricature depicts Walton and Lester, the comedy duo billed as 'The World's Worst Wizards' or 'The World's Worst Hypnotists', performing at the Hippodrome, Stoke on Trent, during the week of 19th August 1907.  Magic and hypnotism were two popular acts on the music hall stage, and it gave their act a new twist to be deliberately bad at both. A later and more famous incompetent comic magician in this tradition was Tommy Cooper (1922-1984). The caricature comes from the second album of caricatures in a collection of albums owned by the Theatre Museum compiled by the graphic artist George Cooke.  It is labelled by the artist 'Geo Cooke HYS BOOKE' and features music hall performers working in the early 20th century.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Caricature of the music hall duo Walton and Lester, 'The World's Worst Wizards' or 'The World's Worst Hypnotists', from an album of caricatures drawn by George Cooke. August 1907.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.393:52-2002"],"accessionNumberNum":"393","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2002,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-09","recordCreationDate":"2003-11-25","availableToBook":true}}