East Reading Room
62. Undated stereoscope viewer and card from Tour of the World. Meadville, Pennsylvania: Keystone View Company, 1930–1950.
Invented in the early nineteenth century because of research into binocular vision, the stereoscope, called the first true domestic media machine, became a very popular household entertainment. Images from slightly different perspectives, usually equivalent to the distance between the eyes, are viewed through lenses which enlarge and shift their horizontal position, making them look like one three-dimensional image. The portable handheld viewer was developed in around 1861 and allowed people to travel the world from the comfort of their home.
63. West’s Grand Procession in the Coronation. London: William West, 1821–1822.
This reconstruction of the procession for the coronation of George IV in July of 1821 was likely published as a souvenir sheet for the public— memorabilia of a coronation that most of them would not have been able to attend. The coronation was reproduced in a popular reenactment at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, beginning 1 August 1821 and running until the end of the summer.
64. F. J. Harvey Darton, and Albert Rutherston. The London Review: A Moral Pantomime. London: Wells, Gardner, Darton & Co. Ld. 1923.
Part of the early revival of the toy theatre, this play includes a large, coloured sheet of all the scenes and characters tucked into the front pocket. This is considered an artistic rather than a practical revival, as the text would be long and difficult to perform, and the characters and scenes challenging to cut out. It includes eight pages of instructions on how to cut and assemble the theatre and perform the play.
65. Van Amburgh the Brute Tamer. London: J. K. Green, originally printed in 1838.
This ‘pull’ from an original copper plate by J. K. Green illustrates the difficulty in obtaining a clear impression of a detailed plate. Toy theatre enthusiasts have used the original plates to make numerous modern reprints of sheets and whole plays which are still sold today.
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66. Clarke’s Galanty Show. London: H. G. Clarke, no date.
This is another example of a ‘penny packet’ created using woodcuts. Clarke and other publishers made various paper toys in this format, on one folded sheet, sold for one penny.
67. Characters from Clarke’s penny packets. No place: H.G. Clarke, no date.
These woodcut characters are cut and coloured and ready to be used as part of a penny packet show. They can be manipulated with the attached wires.
68. Askepot eller den fortryllede sko. Copenhagen: A. Jacobsen, 1920s.
The title of this uncut sheet from Alfred Jacobsen’s toy theatre translates to Cinderella and the Enchanted Shoe.
69. Mounted scenes from Around the World in Eighty Days. Copenhagen: Alfred Jacobsen, no date.
Alfred Jacobsen’s plays were often traditional fairy tales and patriotic plays adapted from popular novels, though some, like this one, followed popular stage successes.
70. A Scene from Sheridan’s ‘The School for Scandal’ to be Performed in Pollock’s 18th-Century Playhouse. London: Pollock’s Toy Theatre, 1971.
Marguerite Fawdry purchased the stock of Pollock’s shop in the 1950s and produced a complete kit and theatre set designed by Dr. Peter Jackson. Jackson, an artist, designer, stage manager, and director, designed this and many other published and unpublished plays and characters for the toy theatre.
71. Costumes de theatre. Nouvelle imagerie de l’Epinal. No place: Sagaire, no date.
The French toy theatre, unlike many other traditions, did not draw upon the contemporary stage for inspiration. These sheets of general costumed characters appear not to be intended for a specific play, and their size indicates that they were likely not meant to be cut out and used for performance.
72. Tommeliden. Copenhagen: Alfred Jacobsen, no date.
This uncut sheet comes from the Danish toy theatre version of Tom Thumb.
73. Shadow rolls. Paris? no publisher, no date.
These French shadow sheets depicting Venice and the Carnival were likely originally mounted on a roll for display inside a toy or device.
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74. Harlequins in The 3 Fishermen at the Surrey Theatre. London: William West, 1828.
75. Pantaloons in The 3 Fishermen at the Surrey Theatre. London: William West, 1828.
These large theatrical portraits were likely meant as souvenirs for display or tinselling. Pantaloon is the antagonist in the Harlequinade, chasing the lovers Harlequin and Columbine.
76. Mounted backdrops from toy theatre plays.
These mounted backdrops include a mixture of periods and countries. Many of them are from the Danish toy theatres of Alfred Jakobsen. His adaptation of Around the World in Eighty Days featured numerous intricate sets with colourful backgrounds representing international locales.
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World of Fancies - Final Thoughts: