ARTICLE BY MW STONE (1933-34)
The Collector’s
Miscellany
New Series No. 7. December-January 1933-34.
WE are all collectors now-a-days, and judging
from your columns, some queer articles are sought after and treasured. Match-box labels, razor blade packets and
the like seem to have a fascination for some people. Well, everybody to his taste.
I must frankly confess that cigar bands leave me cold, but to collect
them is surely a harmless pursuit, and if anybody Gets a “kick” out of doing
so, I wish him good luck.
But, what is usually termed the Juvenile Drama,
is another matter altogether. For me
the Juvenile Drama also includes Theatrical Portraits, and I am sure anybody
who does not know the absorbing interest in collecting these old prints, that
they are missing something indeed.
Before we go any further it would be just as
well to clearly understand what the Juvenile Drama really is. Now there are at the moment two well known authorities
on the subject of the Juvenile Drama and Theatrical Portraits.
But unfortunately like a good many experts on
other matters, these two Gentlemen do not come to the same conclusion. Wild horses will not induce me to detail
where they differ. Both of these
gentlemen are valued friends of mine, and I have no intention of setting up as
an authority on the subject in the face of so eminent a pair of experts.
While experts disagree however, it may be
permissionable for a novice in all humility, to air his own views.
Firstly then, are these old prints to be
considered as intended for children to play with, or are they—at all events
some of them—something in the nature of the Play Pictorials of the past, in
other words, souvenirs of a visit to the theatres of a bygone age? Personally I think both these views are
correct. Again, who was the original
inventor of the Juvenile Drama? Here
also, difference of opinion exists.
Let us examine the facts as far as we can. Theatrical Portraits appear to have first been published about
1811, and sheets of characters and scenes of what may be called the Juvenile
Drama appeared at the same date. It has
I believe been claimed that sheets were published earlier than 1811, but no one
seems to know anything about them. West
was undoubtedly one of the earliest publishers, if not the earliest, and I have
several fine portraits of his dated 1811 and also a few sheets of the
characters of the same year. These
sheets of characters appear to me to be portraits of the various actors and
actresses who performed the plays actually produced at the Adelphi, Olympic and
other theatres. These early sheets are
really beautifully drawn, and it is a well known fact that many of them were
the work of famous artists of the past.
It may therefore be claimed that these prints are not children’s toys at
all but mementos of a memorable visit to the theatre to see some famous actor
in a famous impersonation. West
published more than 100 plays.
Burtenshaw was another famous publisher who
produced some splendid prints. The
earliest of his in my possession is 1812.
Green was another early publisher, but I do not
consider his sheets reached the standard of West or Hodgson, another splendid
producer of these prints, both Portraits and also the Juvenile Drama.
Spread over a period of about fifty years there
were more than fifty publishers in existence, and although many of these took
over the plates of former publishers, a very large number of plays must have
been issued in addition to thousands of portraits.
Space will not permit further details of the
individual publisher’s plays, but I can assure you an article full of interest
could easily be written about famous publishers such as West, Hodgson, Skelt
and Parks.
Anyone who reads these lines may be tempted to
start collecting and may well ask how and where these old prints are to be
acquired. I cannot tell them. All I can say is that I have collected
several thousands of Portraits and sheets of Juvenile Drama over a period of
years.
Occasionally one is lucky enough to come across
a few examples at some old printsellers in London and the larger provincial
cities. Auction sales may bring a
parcel of the old sheets to light.
Energy and perseverance will certainly be wanted in the search, but to
the true collector, difficulties only add zest to the quest.
I often look over my collection and recall how
and when I acquired a particular sheet, and many happy hours can be spent in
arranging and sorting the various plays.
I can assure any reader of these lines that collecting Juvenile Drama is
a most fascinating pastime.
M. W. STONE
Transcript by Justin Gilbert
See his website at "Penny Dreadfuls"