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Stage property

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

One of a pair of slim circular table tennis bats, late 19th century.

These table tennis bats were stage properties 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
Wood
Brief description
One of a pair of table tennis bats, used as stage properties by the comedian Harry Tate (1872-1940), late 19th century
Physical description
One of a pair of slim circular table tennis bats with thick additional handles.
Dimensions
  • Length: 26.5cm
  • Diameter: 15cm
Summary
One of a pair of slim circular table tennis bats, late 19th century.

These table tennis bats were stage properties 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.4118-2013

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Record createdOctober 25, 2013
Record URL
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