Performing Arts
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![[LONDON; DOLLS] Meech's Wax-Work Exhibition. 50 & 52, Kennington Road. The Automaton Flute Player. The Greatest Novelty of the Age. The Wonder of all Beholders.](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/07/2026_DSFB_4591-300x300.jpg)
# 50821
[MEECH, Herbert John]
[LONDON; DOLLS] Meech’s Wax-Work Exhibition. 50 & 52, Kennington Road. The Automaton Flute Player. The Greatest Novelty of the Age. The Wonder of all Beholders.
Kennington Cross [London] : Merser & Gardner, printers, [1875]. Handbill, 140 x 110 mm, lithograph-printed on both sides; recto with an illustrated advertisement for the Automaton Flute Player; verso with a notice for Meech’s Wax Doll Bazaar (at the same address) ‘established over 27 years, and [containing] the handsomest collection of dressed dolls in the …
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![[LONDON; DOLLS] Meech's Royal Exhibition of Mechanical and Wax Figures, 50 & 52, Kennington Road ... Complimentary Lenten Order, admitting TWO on Payment for ONE,](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/07/2026_DSFB_4598-300x300.jpg)
# 50822
[MEECH, Herbert John]
[LONDON; DOLLS] Meech’s Royal Exhibition of Mechanical and Wax Figures, 50 & 52, Kennington Road … Complimentary Lenten Order, admitting TWO on Payment for ONE,
To view the magnificent life-size Models in costly costumes of eminent persons, The Automaton Flute Player, with the wonderful mechanical Groupings, Works of Art, and the performances of Professor Burman, the Wizard, (From the Egyptian Hall) whose feats are still the delight and surprise of all. Admission 6d. Working Classes and Children 3d. Open daily …
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# 50836
LESAINT, Edward (1870-1940) (director)
Sydney-born Australian silent film actress Louise Lovely in two scenes from “Painted Lips” (1918).
Los Angeles, California : Edward LeSaint, [c.1918]. Two gelatin silver print photographs on lightweight card stock, in identical 160 x 210 mm format; the negatives inscribed ‘LeSaint 2439’ and ‘LeSaint 2739’ and the versos with old pencil annotations: ‘Louise Lovely’ and ‘The Straw Cellar’, respectively; both prints are in fine condition (unframed). Two stills from …
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![[CIRCUS HISTORY] "Billie", "Cleopatra" and "Bonita", performers in the "Wild Australia" show: signed studio photograph, February 1913.](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/07/2026_DSFB_4813-300x300.jpg)
# 50852
SYDNEY'S STUDIO
[CIRCUS HISTORY] “Billie”, “Cleopatra” and “Bonita”, performers in the “Wild Australia” show: signed studio photograph, February 1913.
Manchester, U.K. : Sydney’s Studio, [1913]. Gelatin silver print photograph on postcard stock, 87 x 137 mm; verso signed in ink: ‘Best wishes, Billie – Cleo – Bonita. 12-2-13’; the print has a few tiny surface scratches and some minor corner wear, otherwise fine condition. “Cleopatra”, a snake and crocodile handler and bareback rider, and …
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![[CIRCUS HISTORY] Billy Lee, Australian stock-whip cracker and rough rider, and member of the "Wild Australia" show. London, 1913; inscribed by his wife "Bonita", the sharpshooter.](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/07/2026_DSFB_4819-300x300.jpg)
# 50841
[LEE, Billy]; [DRESCHER, Sylvia G., aka "BONITA"]
[CIRCUS HISTORY] Billy Lee, Australian stock-whip cracker and rough rider, and member of the “Wild Australia” show. London, 1913; inscribed by his wife “Bonita”, the sharpshooter.
[Title from printed caption]. [U.K.] : s.n., [c.1913]. Photographic process postcard, 140 x 88 mm, recto with printed caption; postally used from Kensington, London, to Bournemouth with postmark dated 29 September 1913; the handwritten message verso and recto is in the hand of “Bonita” (real name Sylvia G. Drescher), the crack rifle shot and fellow …
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![[CIRCUS HISTORY] "Cleopatra", snake handler in the "Wild Australia" show : holograph letter, to her cousin. Java, August 1918.](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/07/2026_DSFB_4768-300x300.jpg)
# 50908
[DRESCHER, Harriett, aka "CLEOPATRA"]
[CIRCUS HISTORY] “Cleopatra”, snake handler in the “Wild Australia” show : holograph letter, to her cousin. Java, August 1918.
Manuscript in ink, 4 pages, octavo (210 x 140 mm); headed ‘Permanent postal address: Savoy Hotel, Calcutta, India. 8-8-’18’ (but actually written in Java), the letter is written by “Cleopatra” (real name Harriett Drescher) and addressed to her cousin Louis (Jessop) in England; it is signed at the foot ‘Always, Cleo, xxxxx’; original folds, short …
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![[CIRCUS HISTORY] "Cleopatra", snake charmer, crocodile handler and bareback rider with the "Wild Australia" show: signed portrait photograph, c.1911.](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/07/2026_DSFB_4816-300x300.jpg)
# 50844
[DRESCHER, Harriett, aka "CLEOPATRA"]
[CIRCUS HISTORY] “Cleopatra”, snake charmer, crocodile handler and bareback rider with the “Wild Australia” show: signed portrait photograph, c.1911.
[U.K.] : s.n., [c.1911]. Gelatin silver print photograph on postcard stock, 134 x 83 mm; recto signed in black ink: ‘To Kitty / Cleo’; verso without publisher’s imprint or handwritten message; fine condition. “Cleopatra”, a snake and crocodile handler and bareback rider, and “Bonita”, a sharpshooter (real names Harriett Drescher and Sylvia G. Drescher) were …
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![[CIRCUS HISTORY] "Cleopatra", bareback bullock rider and snake charmer in the "Wild Australia" show. Postcard inscribed by her sister "Bonita", the sharpshooter.](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/07/2026_DSFB_4728-300x300.jpg)
# 50856
[DRESCHER, Sylvia G., aka "BONITA"]
[CIRCUS HISTORY] “Cleopatra”, bareback bullock rider and snake charmer in the “Wild Australia” show. Postcard inscribed by her sister “Bonita”, the sharpshooter.
[U.K.] : s.n., [c.1913]. Lithographic postcard, 140 x 88 mm, recto with printed caption; postally used from Montrose (Scotland), to Bournemouth with postmark dated 7 July 1913; the handwritten message verso (continued recto) is in the hand of “Bonita” (real name Sylvia G. Drescher), the crack rifle shot and sister of “Cleopatra” (Harriett Drescher): ‘Dear Kitty, …
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# 50895
YANG, William et al.
William Yang : Seeing and Being Seen (deluxe edition with signed archival print)
Brisbane : Queensland Art Gallery I Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), 2021. Quarto, gilt-lettered pictorial boards, pp. 220, extensively illustrated. Fine copy. The rare deluxe edition, limited to only 50 copies signed by the artist. Mounted inside the upper board is a mylar sleeve housing a limited edition archival inkjet print Golden Summer 1987 / 2016 …
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# 50828
SCHWEIGHOFER, Felix; MAYER, Otto (photographer)
Felix Schweighofer, Austrian actor : real photo portrait postcard with signed autograph message to opera librettist Emil Norini. Blasewitz (Dresden), July 1907.
Gelatin silver print photograph, printed on postcard stock, 137 x 87 mm; in the negative are the photographer’s handwritten details lower left ‘Otto Mayer, Dresden’, and facsimile signature of Felix Schweighofer lower right; lower margin recto with Schweighofer’s handwritten note explaining that the portrait is of him in character as August Nippes for the comedy …
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# 50829
ANGERER, Victor
Gisela Timony, Viennese actress : signed portrait photograph, inscribed for opera librettist Emil Norini. Vienna, April 1903.
Wien : Victor Angerer, [1903]. Silver albumen print photograph in cabinet card format, 163 x 103 mm; signed by the sitter in ink in the image lower right: ‘Gisi Timony’; verso with the Angerer studio imprint and with a presentation inscription by Timony: ‘Meinen lieben Collegen Herrn Emil Norini, zur freundlichen Errinerung, Wien 5. IV. …
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# 51050
BIONDO, Sam and PUGH, Rohan
Skins ‘n’ Sharps. The forgotten subculture Melbourne 1971 to 1979.
Melbourne : Skins ‘n’ Sharps, 2006. Quarto (295 x 210 mm), pictorial wrappers, staple bound, 14 pp (including wrappers), b/w and colour illustrations throughout; an as new copy. Superbly illustrated catalogue produced to accompany a low-key Melbourne exhibition staged in 2006, Skins ‘n’ Sharps. The catalogue contains many original photographs, previously unpublished, documenting the unique …
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# 50899
HERINGTON, David
Stage Right
Bexhill [N.S.W.]: the artist, 2020. Small quarto, illustrated wrappers, edge stain and rubbing to lower panel and adjacent pages, pp. 48, photographically illustrated. Limited to 100 numbered copies. Very scarce. ‘Stage Right is a 50 page, 8×8 inch perfect bound book featuring 36 photographs of both colour and black and white as well as four …
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![[MELBOURNE THEATRE] Weston's New Opera House. Bourke Str. East, Melbourne. Soirée d'Ethiop. Opera. Instrumental. Comedy. Terpsichore. Burlesque. West & Hussey's Minstrels, presented with the compliments of Messrs. Weston & Hussey. H. Peachman, Agent.](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/06/2026_DSFB_3996-300x300.jpg)
# 50560
TROEDEL, Charles (printer)
[MELBOURNE THEATRE] Weston’s New Opera House. Bourke Str. East, Melbourne. Soirée d’Ethiop. Opera. Instrumental. Comedy. Terpsichore. Burlesque. West & Hussey’s Minstrels, presented with the compliments of Messrs. Weston & Hussey. H. Peachman, Agent.
[Drop title]. [Melbourne : Charles Troedel, 1869]. Souvenir programme printed in purple on cream silk, bifolium, 200 x 140 mm, a bifolium printed on two of [4] sides, stitched at left edge and opening to reveal the third side containing the programme itself, headed ‘Grand Vice-Regal Command Night’; extremely well preserved; accompanied by two typed …
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# 50511
ARLINGTON, L. C.
The Chinese Drama from the earliest times until today
A panoramic study of the art in China, tracing its origin and describing its actors (in both male and female roles); their costumes and make-ups, superstitions and stage slang: the accompanying music and musical instruments: concluding with synopses of thirty Chinese plays. Shanghai : Kelly and Walsh, 1930. Quarto, quarter cloth, lettered in gilt, over …
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![[SYDNEY; MUSIC] To meet Miss Marie Narelle: The Premier and The Citizens' Reception Committee request the pleasure of Mr. & Mrs. J. G. O'Connor's Company at the Town Hall, Sydney, on Thursday Evening 15th June [1906] from 8 to 10 o'clock.](https://douglasstewart.com.au/app/uploads/2026/06/2026_DSFB_3591-300x300.jpg)
# 50432
[SYDNEY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. CITIZENS' RECEPTION COMMITTEE]
[SYDNEY; MUSIC] To meet Miss Marie Narelle: The Premier and The Citizens’ Reception Committee request the pleasure of Mr. & Mrs. J. G. O’Connor’s Company at the Town Hall, Sydney, on Thursday Evening 15th June [1906] from 8 to 10 o’clock.
[Sydney : s.n., 1906]. Invitation card, 105 x 130 mm; lithograph printed; manuscript entry in ink recording that the invitation was issued to the O’Connors; scattered small stains, bottom edge roughened; laid down on section of card from a nineteenth-century album. Scarce ephemeral item associated with the career of the “Australian Queen of Irish Song”. …