Document

Place of Origin

London, England (written)

Date

20/07/1893 (made)

Artist/maker

Ford, Edward Onslow (RA), born 1852 - died 1901 (authors)

Materials and Techniques

Ink on paper, with printed letterhead

Marks and inscriptions

'E. Onslow Ford'
ALS from Onslow Ford to Sam Johnson, regarding a statuette of Henry Irving as Mathias in The Bells which Ford has made. He will bring the statuette tomorrow, "if Irving & the subscribers are pleased with it I shall be thoroughly repaid for all the trouble which in reality was a very great pleasure".

Object history note

Ford's clay statuette of Irving as Mathias was presented to Irving on 25 November 1892 to commemorate the 21st anniversary of his first appearance in The Bells on 25 November 1871. The statuette was later cast in bronze. For an account of the presentation to Irving, see Laurence Irving, "Henry Irving" (London, 1951), p.552. A later bronze cast was lent to the Theatre Museum by Daniel Katz. Associated production: The Bells. Playwright: Leopold Lewis. Recipient and actor: Sam Johnson. Actor: Henry Irving. Lyceum Theatre, London, 1871-1892. Performance category: Drama. Sam Johnson was an actor who had worked with Irving for many years. The letter refers to a statuette of Henry Irving as Mathias in The Bells, made by Onslow Ford. The statuette is to be presented to Irving.

Descriptive line

Manuscript letter from Onslow Ford (62 Acacia Road, St John's Wood) to Sam Johnson, 1893

Categories

Entertainment & Leisure

Collection code

T&P