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Hugo’s Toy Theatre

John Kilby Green – Proscenium & Orchestra

Photograph of the original Zinc Plate for Green’s Victoria 1d Stage Front.

 

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Green produced several stage fronts during his career but only a few examples survive.

Most famous of these must be his 1st January 1812 Proscenium, which is the oldest surviving stage front in existence.

 

 

IK Green’s 1st January 1812 Stage Front

 

The same theatre painted by David Brown (no relation) and an unknown orchestra added (not by JK Green).

 

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His next known theatre was his miniature stage front from 1834.

This was part of the collection sold to W Webb upon the death of JK Green in 1860.

(Image to follow)

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At roughly the same time (3rd August 1834) there was an orchestra.

This was too big to be the counterpart for Green’s miniature theatre.

This was later used as a companion to Green’s 1d theatres, although it appears to be too long.

So maybe it was originally made to compliment a 2d theatre.

JK Green’s 3rd August 1834 Orchestra

 

JK Green’s 3rd August 1834 Orchestra – made up

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According to the lists of items Green had for sale in 1836, there were three stage fronts for sale.

The ½d scale listed above.

However a 1d and a 2d stage front, which were also listed, unfortunately have no known copies that have survived.

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1st August 1841 – The Victoria

This was Green’s first known 1d theatre.

(Computer generated Penny Plain version of JK Green’s Victoria – Created from the above photograph of the Plate)

The same theatre – beautifully decorated here by Horatio Blood

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The next and last known Proscenium produced by JK Green was the “Regency” as it is commonly known today.

This is one of the few items produced by JK Green without a date.

By virtue of the address given as 9 Thurlow Place, we can deduce that it’s manufacture took place sometime between 1852 and 1860.

JK Green’s Regency Proscenium

JK Green’s Regency Proscenium as made up.

(Note how the top pieces don’t actually make a good join. The Pollock’s 1946 version was corrected in the printing process).

Benjamin Pollock Ltd’s 1946 Regency Proscenium complete with cut–down 1834 Orchestra.

 

More to follow!

 

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