Vintage Wooden Railway, Porters Luggage Cart

About the Item

Antique Porters Trolly With Luggage, Hay Wheelbarrow. A charming late 18th, early 19th century wooden barrow, made of beechwood with single wooden spoked front wheel with iron surround and two metal support feet to the rear. A great decorative piece with rustic appeal, great for displaying the three leather suitcases. Two of the suitcases are a pair made by George Parker & Sons, Makers, London. W.C. and were gifted to Ian Paul from English theatrical impresario, Emile Littler. The cases are in good condition with red leather interior. After private education at Stratford-upon-Avon and a brief start as an actor, Littler turned to backstage work, serving as assistant manager of a theatre in Southend-on-Sea in 1922, and then as assistant stage manager of Sir Barry Jackson's Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He worked in the US for four years between 1927 and 1931, for management's including the Shuberts, and after returning to Britain he became manager and licensee of the Birmingham Rep in September 1931. In 1933 Littler married the actress Cora Goffin; there were two daughters of the marriage. The following year he set up in management on his own account. His theatrical productions included: Victoria Regina, 1066 and All That, Once in a Lifetime, Song of Norway, Annie Get Your Gun and Zip Goes a Million, and revivals of The Maid of the Mountains, The Quaker Girl, Lilac Time, The Student Prince and The Desert Song. Littler presented more than two hundred Christmas pantomimes in London and the larger cities of the British Isles; he was author or co-author of many of them. He controlled the Palace Theatre, London from 1946 to 1983 and had two stints as President of the Society of West End Theatre Managers: 1964-67 and 1969-70. He also served on the board of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. He was a racehorse owner, owning the horses Jack & Jill, Astafa, and Irish Ball. Littler retired from producing in 1973 and was knighted the following year. Littler info taken from Wikipedia.

Dimensions:

Height: 28.75 in (73 cm)Width: 27.56 in (70 cm)Depth: 70.87 in (180 cm)

Style:

Edwardian (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Ash,Wood

Place of Origin:

United Kingdom

Period:

20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

Circa 1900