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Not currently on display at the V&A

Toy Theatre

10/07/1834 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This theatre was bought by Mrs. Enthoven from Mr. Pollock himself in 1924. It incorporates John Redington's stage front of about 1857 and Pollock's orchestra of c.1883, both of which were kept in print by Benjamin Pollock until the 1930s. The characters and scenes forThe Silver Palace in the theatre were bought ready-coloured and cut-out at Pollock's Hoxton shop.

The Silver Palace or The Golden Poppywas the one-act spectacle originally described as a 'masque or water pageant. It was added to the end of George Almar's playThe Cedar Chest, or The Lord Mayor's Daughterat Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1834. With music and fire-works, water and battles, it was a real crowd-pleaser, culminating in a combat between King Volocano, monach of Mount Etna with his demons and fire-army, and Coral Crown the Water King, with his acquatic spirits.

J.K.Green first published his edition of The Silver Palaceon 5th September 1841. In the 1850s he had John Redington's name engraved on the plates as his agent, but did not alter the original date of publication. On Green's death in 1860, Redington acquired the majority of Green's plates and republished them. Redington died in 1876 and his son-in-law Benjamin Pollock took over the business and republishedThe Silver Palaceunder his own name. Pollock died in 1937 and his daughters kept the business going until 1944, still hand-colouring the prints in the traditional way until the end. Both M&M Skelt and Dyer brought out their own versions of The Silver Palace.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 30 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Models (Representations)
  • Stage Cloth
  • Front Cloth
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Character
  • Model Piece
  • Scene Piece
  • Model Piece
  • Scene Piece
  • Model Piece
  • Scene Piece
  • Model Piece
  • Scene Piece
  • Model Piece
  • Side Wing
  • Model Piece
  • Side Wing
  • Model Piece
  • Side Wing
  • Model Piece
  • Side Wing
  • Model Piece
  • Side Wing
  • Model Piece
  • Cut Cloth
  • Model Piece
  • Ground Row
  • Model Piece
  • Ground Row
  • Model Piece
  • Ground Row
  • Model Piece
  • Ground Row
  • Model Piece
  • Ground Row
  • Model Piece
  • Ground Row
  • Model Piece
  • Top Piece
  • Model Piece
  • Top Piece
Materials and techniques
Wood, card, tinsel and metal
Brief description
Toy Theatre model set with a scene from The Silver Palace, or The Golden Poppy,the one-act 'masque or water pageant' at the end of The Cedar Chest; or The Lord Mayor's Daughter,by George Almar, Sadler's Wells Theatre July 1834, published by Benjamin Pollock from John Redington's plates, originally produced by J.K.Green.
Physical description
Toy theatre proscenium, orchestra and stage with 12 footlights, set with wings and characters from the 'dramatic spectacle' the water pageant The Silver Palace, or The Golden Poppy,the one-act finale of The Cedar Chest, or The Lord Mayor's Daughter,Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1834.
Dimensions
  • Height: 63.5cm
  • Width: 68.5cm
  • Depth: 61.0cm
Object history
This theatre was bought by Mrs. Enthoven from Mr. Pollock himself in 1924. It incorporates John Redington's stage front of about 1857 and Pollock's orchestra of c.1883, both of which were kept in print by Benjamin Pollock until the 1930s. The characters and scenes for The Silver Palace in the theatre were bought ready-coloured and cut-out at Pollock's Hoxton shop.

J.K.Green first published his edition of The Silver Palace in 1841. In the 1850s he had John Redington's name engraved on the plates as his agent, but did not alter the original date of publication. On Green's death in 1860, Redington acquired the majority of Green's plates and republished them. Redington died in 1876 and his son-in-law Benjamin Pollock took over the business and republished The Silver Palaceunder his own name. Pollock died in 1937 and his daughters kept the business going until 1944, still hand-colouring the prints in the traditional way until the end. Both Skelt and Dyer both brought out their own versions of The Silver Palace.
Associations
Summary
This theatre was bought by Mrs. Enthoven from Mr. Pollock himself in 1924. It incorporates John Redington's stage front of about 1857 and Pollock's orchestra of c.1883, both of which were kept in print by Benjamin Pollock until the 1930s. The characters and scenes forThe Silver Palace in the theatre were bought ready-coloured and cut-out at Pollock's Hoxton shop.

The Silver Palace or The Golden Poppywas the one-act spectacle originally described as a 'masque or water pageant. It was added to the end of George Almar's playThe Cedar Chest, or The Lord Mayor's Daughterat Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1834. With music and fire-works, water and battles, it was a real crowd-pleaser, culminating in a combat between King Volocano, monach of Mount Etna with his demons and fire-army, and Coral Crown the Water King, with his acquatic spirits.

J.K.Green first published his edition of The Silver Palaceon 5th September 1841. In the 1850s he had John Redington's name engraved on the plates as his agent, but did not alter the original date of publication. On Green's death in 1860, Redington acquired the majority of Green's plates and republished them. Redington died in 1876 and his son-in-law Benjamin Pollock took over the business and republishedThe Silver Palaceunder his own name. Pollock died in 1937 and his daughters kept the business going until 1944, still hand-colouring the prints in the traditional way until the end. Both M&M Skelt and Dyer brought out their own versions of The Silver Palace.
Bibliographic reference
Bell's Lite in London 20 July 1834
Collection
Accession number
E.2449-1924

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Record createdMarch 20, 2008
Record URL
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