Printed from Woolley & Wallis

Description

λ Theatrical interest. A Regency tortoiseshell and gold mounted make-up brush holder, the hinged lid with a circular faux opal rondel, the body mounted either side with a portrait miniature on ivory of a lady, the back she is fully clothed, the front she emerges from curtains bare breasted and with her hair down, the interior with eleven circular apertures and with a silver plaque inscribed 'Edmund Keane born 1787 Obt 15 May 1833', the interior of the lid with remains of a foil lining, 13cm high, 10.2cm wide.

Provenance: By repute once the property of Laurence Olivier.

Edmund Kean (1787-1833) was a celebrated British Shakespearean stage actor who performed in London, Belfast, New York, Quebec and Paris. Kean first appeared on stage at the age of four, as Cupid in the ballet Cymon. As a teenager he played at the York Theatre and the travelling Richardson's Theatre. In 1814 he got his big break and signed a three year contract with the Drury Theatre. His opening role as Shylock was certainly popular with the audiences. Successive appearances as Richard III, Hamlet and MacBeth demonstrated his mastery of tragic emotion. In 1820 he appeared in New York for the first time to unequivocal success. His most powerful character was probably Sir Giles Overreach in Philip Massinger's 'A New Way to Pay Old Debts'. His performance caused the pit to rise en-masse. He died in Surrey in 1833 and his last words were alleged to be 'dying is easy, comedy is hard.'