{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O98193"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O98193/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MH6473/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MH6473/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MH6473","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O98193","accessionNumber":"S.1348-1984","objectType":"Hairpiece","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The actress Meggie Albanesi (1899-1923), born Margharita Albanesi in London to the English novelist mother Effie Adelaide Rowlands and Italian violinist father Carlo Albanesi, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where she won the Bancroft gold medal. She made her stage debut aged seventeen at the Haymarket Theatre, July 1917, in Sydney Grundy’s <i>A Pair of Spectacles</i>, and following several successful stage roles made her film debut in<i> Mr. Wu</i> starring Matheson Lang, 1919. She was hailed as one of Britain’s most promising actresses, appearing in five more films including <i>Darby and Joan</i>with Ivy Close, 1919, and <i>The Great Day</i>with Arthur Bourchier and Marjorie Hume, 1920. \r\n\r\nIn May 1922 she appeared as Wanda opposite Owen Nares as Larry Darrant in John Galsworthy’s <i>The First and the Last</i> at the Aldwych Theatre directed by Basil Dean. She became Nares’ mistress until his wife threatened divorce, and also mistress of Basil Dean who was infatuated with her. She made six films but her career was cut short by her death in Broadstairs aged just twenty four of internal perforation, the result of a failed abortion. After her death Dean commissioned the sculptor Eric Gill to create a plaque in her memory for the foyer of London’s St. Martin’s Theatre.  After her death J. M. Barrie said: ‘exceptional glories lay in front of her’; John Masefield said: ‘she would be the wonder of our stage’ and W. Macqueen Pope described her as: ‘the most vivid personality and accomplished actress who had stepped upon our stage for years...she would have been the Queen of our stage. A great lamp of the British theatre went out before it had gained its full lustre’\r\n","physicalDescription":"Short curled hair piece worn by Meggie Albanesi. Sewn weft of brown human hair curled into ringlets.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"human hair","id":"AAT11820"}],"techniques":[{"text":"wig-making","id":"THES277360"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Human hair","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2019MH6473"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES344334"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Hairpiece","id":"AAT46047"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the British Theatre Museum Association ","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"10.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"One of two hair pieces worn by Meggie Albanesi. Given to the British Theatre Museum Association by Lady Fletcher in March 1965.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Short curled hairpiece worn by the actress Meggie Albanesi","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1348-1984"],"accessionNumberNum":"1348","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1984,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"BTMA accession number","id":"THES51752"},"number":"1965/A/32"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-01","recordCreationDate":"2004-04-26","availableToBook":true}}