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Stage property

Stage Property
late 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Metal megaphone, with narrow mouthpiece and wide base, the top edge stamped “Senger’s Patent Megaphone”, late 19th century.

This megaphone is a stage property used by the comedian Harry Tate. Tate (1872-1940) was born Ronald McDonald Hutchinson and assumed his stage name from the company, Henry Tate & Sons, Sugar Refiners, for which he worked before becoming a professional performer. He first appeared as Tate at the Oxford Music-Hall on 13 April 1895, his early act consisting of sketches in which he mimicked music-hall stars of the day, using clip-on paper costumes to allow as many as forty-two changes in one act. He went on to develop various sketches based on middle-class leisure pursuits such as fishing, golfing and gardening which he performed with a small company.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleStage property (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Metal, welding
Brief description
Metal megaphone, used by the comedian Harry Tate (1872-1940), late 19th century
Physical description
Metal megaphone, with narrow mouthpiece and wide base. A handle has been mounted to the base. The top edge of the megaphone is marked with a metal label stamped “Senger’s Patent Megaphone”.
Dimensions
  • Mouthpiece to base length: 45cm
  • Mouthpiece diameter: 8.5cm
  • Base diameter: 23.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
Senger's patent megaphone (Incised, metal plate, near mouthpiece.)
Summary
Metal megaphone, with narrow mouthpiece and wide base, the top edge stamped “Senger’s Patent Megaphone”, late 19th century.

This megaphone is a stage property used by the comedian Harry Tate. Tate (1872-1940) was born Ronald McDonald Hutchinson and assumed his stage name from the company, Henry Tate & Sons, Sugar Refiners, for which he worked before becoming a professional performer. He first appeared as Tate at the Oxford Music-Hall on 13 April 1895, his early act consisting of sketches in which he mimicked music-hall stars of the day, using clip-on paper costumes to allow as many as forty-two changes in one act. He went on to develop various sketches based on middle-class leisure pursuits such as fishing, golfing and gardening which he performed with a small company.

Associated object
S.3470-2013 (Object)
Collection
Accession number
S.4115-2013

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Record createdOctober 25, 2013
Record URL
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