Medallion — Strolling Players medallion, belonging to Mrs Gabrielle Enthoven , London, early 20th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 20th century
Medallion in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number S.596-2018), made in London, dated early 20th century. The museum's brief description reads: Strolling Players medallion, early 20th century, belonging to Mrs Gabrielle Enthoven..
Museum description: Strolling Players medallion, moulded gilt metal, tragedy and comedy masks with sword and trumpets behind, surrounded by a laurel wreath, with the words 'STROLLING PLAYERS' on a ribbon beneath the masks. On a grosgrain ribbon with a central white stripe and purple stripes to either side, with metal pin. The museum records it as Metal with cotton ribbon, measuring Diameter 3.9 cm; Diameter 3.2 cm. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Strolling Players medallion, early 20th century, belonging to Mrs Gabrielle Enthoven. From an early age Gabrielle Enthoven, née Romaine (1868-1950), was fascinated by the theatre. After her marriage in 1893 she began to collect press cuttings and playbills and, following the death of her husband in 1910, she became involved with the Pioneer Players, a feminist theatre company for which she wrote plays. As her collection of theatrical material grew, Mrs Enthoven became aware that no archive or museum was documenting the British theatre as she was doing. In 1911 she wrote to the Observer newspaper, beginning a campaign for the establishment of a national collection for the performing arts within an existing museum. Though she received support in the press, an attempt by the London Museum to establish a permanent exhibition of theatre was unsuccessful. Mrs Enthoven, however, continued her campaign and, after several attempts, in 1924 she persuaded the V&A to take her vast collection, which by this time was outgrowing her home. The Gabrielle Enthoven Collection was housed in the Prints and Drawings department and Mrs Enthoven continued to work on the collection in a voluntary capacity and provided funding for staff and for new acquisitions. The Gabrielle Enthoven Collection was one of the founding collections of the V&A's Theatre Museum (1974-2007) and the collection's playbills, cuttings, photographs, prints, designs and memorabilia are now held in the V&A Theatre…
Physical characteristics
- Material
- metal, cotton (textile)
- Dimensions
- Diameter 3.9 cm; Diameter 3.2 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Metal with cotton ribbon
- Place recorded
- London
Identification
- Museum object name
- Medallion
- Museum object number
- S.596-2018
- Museum system number
- O1468154
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.