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Stage property

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

Circular reel from a fishing rod, late 19th century.

This fishing reel was 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
Wood and metal
Brief description
Reel from a fishing rod, used as a stage property by the comedian Harry Tate (1872-1940), late 19th century
Physical description
Circular reel from a fishing rod, no longer functional, consisting of two circular wooden discs, one fixed and with an integral shaft, on to which the other, which rotates, is screwed. The internal mechanism is concealed by the wooden exterior.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 9.5cm
Summary
Circular reel from a fishing rod, late 19th century.

This fishing reel was 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.4116-2013

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Record createdOctober 25, 2013
Record URL
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