Not currently on display at the V&A

Plate

1912 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The American actress Pauline Chase (1885-1962) was well-known for playing the role of Peter Pan in the London production of J.M. Barrie's play and on tour, from its second revival at the Duke of York's Theatre in December 1906 until its 1912 production. She retired from the stage in 1913 to marry, after the closure of the 1912 production. This plate was presented to her on the occasion of her 1000th performance of Peter Pan when on tour in Glasgow in March 1912.

The quotation around the rim refers to the incident in the play which appears in Barrie's original book in Chapter 8 - The Mermaid's Lagoon - when Peter imitates Captain Hook's voice. Hook asks Peter, whom he can hear but not see: '"If you are Hook," he said almost humbly, "come tell me, who am I?". "A codfish," replied the voice, "only a codfish."'

The friend William Ogg who presented this to Pauline Chase may well have been the American designer William Ogg Fitzgerald who designed plates for Spode in England. The maker of the plate was the well-respected Scottish sculptor William Kellock Brown (1856-1934), who was at one time chief metalworker for Mackmurdo's Century Guild and who from 1888-1889 taught modelling, metalwork and repoussé at the Glasgow School of Art.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Brass, raised and chased
Brief description
Brass plate with raised and chased decoration showing Peter Pan in his bird's nest boat, the surround featuring two ostriches and the quotation from J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan: 'Only a codfish.' Presented to Pauline Chase (1885-1962) by her friend William Ogg Fitzgerald to commemorate the 1000th performance of Peter Pan, Glasgow, 16 March 1912. Plate modelled by William Kellock Brown (1856-1934)
Physical description
Brass dish decorated with a raised and chased central image of Pauline Chase as Peter Pan sculling with one oar in Peter's bird's nest boat, the surround illustrated with two images of ostriches, the quotation: 'ONLY A CODFISH' in upper case lettering, and two inscribed ovals, the upper one inscribed: 'Glasgow March 16th 1912', the lower one inscribed: 'Presented to Pauline Chase by her friend William Ogg on her 1000th performance of Peter Pan.'
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 51.1cm
  • Depth: 2.3cm
Credit line
Given by the Marlow Society
Object history
Pauline Chase played the role of Peter Pan in Charles Frohman's production of J.M. Barrie's play from 1906-1913, but was in the original production as the First Twin, one of the Lost Boys, a role she played in the original production at the Duke of York's Theatre, 27 December 1904 and in the 1905 revival.
Subject depicted
Association
Summary
The American actress Pauline Chase (1885-1962) was well-known for playing the role of Peter Pan in the London production of J.M. Barrie's play and on tour, from its second revival at the Duke of York's Theatre in December 1906 until its 1912 production. She retired from the stage in 1913 to marry, after the closure of the 1912 production. This plate was presented to her on the occasion of her 1000th performance of Peter Pan when on tour in Glasgow in March 1912.

The quotation around the rim refers to the incident in the play which appears in Barrie's original book in Chapter 8 - The Mermaid's Lagoon - when Peter imitates Captain Hook's voice. Hook asks Peter, whom he can hear but not see: '"If you are Hook," he said almost humbly, "come tell me, who am I?". "A codfish," replied the voice, "only a codfish."'

The friend William Ogg who presented this to Pauline Chase may well have been the American designer William Ogg Fitzgerald who designed plates for Spode in England. The maker of the plate was the well-respected Scottish sculptor William Kellock Brown (1856-1934), who was at one time chief metalworker for Mackmurdo's Century Guild and who from 1888-1889 taught modelling, metalwork and repoussé at the Glasgow School of Art.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
S.1313-2012

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Record createdJanuary 9, 2013
Record URL
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