A collection of Georgian-era tokens for London theaters

small copper coin

A collection of seven copper theater passes or tickets for London theatres dating between 1762 and approximately 1820, all blank on the obverse sides except for the token for the Box Prince’s Side (BPS 1796) which is decorated with a chain of small linked circles around the perimeter. The 1788 token for a box at Covent Garden is the only token with a hole in the center.

  • Title: A collection of Georgian-era tokens for London theaters.
  • Production: [England], [between 1762 and 1820?]

Catalog Record

66 762 C697

Acquired November 2023

New Rooms Hanover Square, the Concert of antient music

description below

A ticket issued by the Concert of Antient Music in 1812, for an event held at the Hanover Square Rooms in London. In the center, a bust in profile looking left, within oval lettered ‘New Rooms Hanover Square, The Concert of Antient Music‘ and surmounted by musical instruments; date ‘1812’ above.

  • Printmaker: Cooper, Robert, active 1795-1836, printmaker.
  • Title: New Rooms Hanover Square, the Concert of antient music [graphic] / Robt. Cooper scult.
  • Publication: [London] : [publisher not identified], 1812.

Catalog Record

File 74 812 C778

Acquired February 2022

By order of the House of Lords, no lady, can claim admission…

printed text

An admission ticket for the fifteenth day of the trial of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville; the impeachment trial took place in Westminster Hall in April-June 1806.

  • Title: By order of the House of Lords, no lady, can claim admission into the seats called the Peeresses Seats by this ticket unless her name is written on the back thereof, on the line denoting the state of her claim. Guydir, Dept. Gt. Ch.
  • Publication: [London] : [publisher not identified], [1806]

Catalog Record

File 523 D914 806

Acquired April 2021

 

 

For the benefit of Joe Miller

description below

Copy of a benefit ticket whose design was formerly attributed to Hogarth: a stage scene with four performers in Congreve’s ‘The Old Bachelor’, showing the scene in Act III where Noll receives a kicking from Sharper; print after a forgery purporting to be a benefit ticket for Joe Miller for his performance as Sir Joseph Wittol.

 

  • Title: For the benefit of Joe Miller [graphic] : Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The old batchelor / W. Hogarth ft.
  • Publication: [London?] : [publisher not identified], [early 19th century?]

Catalog Record

Hogarth 800.00.00.02 Box 140

Acquired August 2020

Theatre Royal

description below

A theater ticket with a scene from the play The mock doctor: Gregory, the mock doctor, holds the Charlotte’s wrist, as they look at her father who points to his mouth indicating that she is mute. The print after a forgery purporting to be an admission ticket for a performance of Fielding’s The Mock Doctor.

 

  • Title: Theatre Royal [graphic] : April [blank] a comedy with The mock doctor for the benefit of the author of the farce / W. Hogarth ft.
  • Publication: [London?] : [publisher not identified], [early 19th century?]

Catalog Record

Hogarth 800.00.00.01

Acquired August 2020

Anniversary meeting of the Charity Children

An engraved admission ticket with the St. Paul’s Cathedral in a rondel in the center flanked on the left with an figure of a boy in a niche with the words “Naked & ye clothed us” below and on the right a girl, also in a niche, with the words “Ignorance & ye instructed us” below. Above the rondel is engraved in frame: Date et dabitur vobis.

  • Creator: Patrons of the Anniversary of the Charity-Schools (Society)
  • Title: Anniversary meeting of the Charity Children in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, London [graphic].
  • Manufacture: [London] : [Society of Patrons], [1821]
    [London] : Norris & Son, sc. Moorfields, [1821]

Catalog Record 

File 646 821 P314+

Acquired June 2019

Signora Rossignoli’s public

lwlpr29887_m

An engraved ticket to a performance by Italian dancer, Signora Teresa Rossignoli of Parma. The Late Baroque border includes urns on pedestals, tree saplings and foliage.

  • TitleSignora Rossignoli’s public [graphic] : no. [blank]. Price 3d.
  • Published[Dublin? : s.n., ca. 1783]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

File 66 783 S578

Acquired July 2013

[Invitation to a dinner with the officers of the Lying-In Charity]

Click for larger image:

First line of text: Sir, your company is desired to dine with the president, vice presidents & governors of the Lying in Charity for married women at their own habitations on Wednesday the 29th of April …

Dated upper right: “London 11th April 1778.”

  • Author: Lying-In Hospital for Married Women (London, England)
  • Title: [Invitation to a dinner with the officers of the Lying-In Charity]
  • Published: [London :  s.n., 1778]

Catalog record

File 66 778 L984

Acquired July 2012

[Invitation to a dinner with the officers of the Lying-In Charity…]

Click for larger image

An invitation to a dinner with the president, vice president and governors of the Lying-in Charity at the Pauls Head Tavern, Cateaton Street. Includes a list of 12 stewards and the announces the date of the sermon to be preached by the Right Revd. Samuel Lord Bishop of Gloucester at St. Martin’s in the Fields.

  • Author: Lying-in Hospital for Married Women (London, England).
  • Title: [Invitation to a dinner with the officers of the Lying-In Charity].
  • Published: [London : s.n., 1786].

Catalog Record

File 66 786 L984

Acquired July 2011 

Ticket for the installation in the [blank] of St. George’s chapel…

Ticket for the installation in the [blank] of St. George's chapel

An engraved ticket with the arms of the Order of the Garter.

  • Author: Order of the Garter.
  • Title: Ticket for the installation in the [blank] of St. George’s chapel, Windsor [blank] / Ottway sculp., 27 Barbican.
  • Published: [London? : s.n., 1805?].

View Catalog Record

Acquired July 2011, by the Lewis Walpole Library.