Impersonation Collection

Princess Caraboo by Fortunino Matania
Mary Baker (n饠 Willcocks) (1791-1864) a Devonshire cobblers daughter and noted impostor. Posing as the fictional Princess Caraboo

Ella Shields, WW1 entertainment
Ella Shields (1879-1952) music hall entertainer and male impersonator, most famous as Burlington Bertie from Bow dressed up as both a soldier and a sailor during the First World War. Date: 1917

Bishamon God of Glory
The impersonation of military prowess carries a spear in one hand, a pagoda symbolising power in the other : he inspires warriors to fight to the death for a heros glory

Dr Johnson revisits Gough Square. Dr Johnson played by Mr Arthur Machen
" Dr Johnson " revisits Gough Square. " Dr Johnson " played by Mr Arthur Machen, the well known author revisits his old home in Gough Square

David Lamar of Wall Street, 1913. Creator: Harris & Ewing. David Lamar of Wall Street, 1913. Creator: Harris & Ewing
David Lamar of Wall Street, 1913. American con man known as the Wolf of Wall Street

Colonel Barker - Valerie Smith Page from The Graphic reporting on the case of Colonel
Page from The Graphic reporting on the case of Colonel Barker (aka John Hill and Geoffrey Norton), who was born Lilias Irma Valerie Barker in 1895

Upstairs Downstairs, man in evening dress, man with baby
Upstairs Downstairs, upper class man in evening dress (L) and man feeding a baby with a bottle (R) Date: circa 1910

Upstairs Downstairs, maid doing laundry, lady singing
Upstairs Downstairs, maid doing the laundry with tub and washboard (L) and lady singing (R) Date: circa 1910

Upstairs Downstairs, cook in kitchen, lady at the opera
Upstairs Downstairs, cook in the kitchen rolling out pastry (L) and lady at the opera (R) Date: circa 1910

Vessel in the Form of an Owl Impersonator, 100 B. C. / A. D. 500. Creator: Unknown
Vessel in the Form of an Owl Impersonator, 100 B.C./A.D. 500

Vessel in the Form of a Seal Impersonator Playing a Drum, 100 B. C. / A. D. 500
Vessel in the Form of a Seal Impersonator Playing a Drum, 100 B.C./A.D. 500

Vessel in the Form of a Deer Impersonator, 100 B. C. / A. D. 500. Creator: Unknown
Vessel in the Form of a Deer Impersonator, 100 B.C./A.D. 500

Ritual Impersonator of the Deity Xipe Totec, 1450 / 1500. Creator: Unknown
Ritual Impersonator of the Deity Xipe Totec, 1450/1500

Miss Ellen Terry as "Lady Macbeth"(b / w photo)
3651219 Miss Ellen Terry as " Lady Macbeth" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Sir Henry Irvning and Miss Ellen Terry in "Olivia"(b / w photo)
3651225 Sir Henry Irvning and Miss Ellen Terry in " Olivia" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Peggy"in "Raising The Wind"(b / w photo)
3651222 Miss Ellen Terry as " Peggy" in " Raising The Wind" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Lady Macbeth"(b / w photo)
3651220 Miss Ellen Terry as " Lady Macbeth" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Scene from J. M. Barries Peter Pan at the Duke of Yorks Theatre in 1905
Scene from J.M. Barries Peter Pan at the Duke of Yorks Theatre in 1905, showing Peter saving his band from the pirates,

Miss Hetty King, as Aladdin (b / w photo)
5987012 Miss Hetty King, as Aladdin (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Miss Hetty King, as Aladdin)

Alfred Lester impersonating Gwen Farrar
Actor Alfred Lester doing a very decent impression of actress Gwen Farrar, with whom he was starring in the revue, Rats at the Vaudeville Theatre in 1923. Date: 1923

Miss Ellen Terry and Mr Gordon Craig in "The Dead Heart"(b / w photo)
3651221 Miss Ellen Terry and Mr Gordon Craig in " The Dead Heart" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Ellaline"in "The Amber Heart"(b / w photo)
3651218 Miss Ellen Terry as " Ellaline" in " The Amber Heart" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Cordelia"in "King Lear"(b / w photo)
3651215 Miss Ellen Terry as " Cordelia" in " King Lear" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry (b / w photo)
3651237 Miss Ellen Terry (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Miss Ellen Terry)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Madame Sans Gene"(b / w photo)
3651233 Miss Ellen Terry as " Madame Sans Gene" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Fair Rosamund"in "Becket"(b / w photo)
3651214 Miss Ellen Terry as " Fair Rosamund" in " Becket" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Imogen"(b / w photo)
3651210 Miss Ellen Terry as " Imogen" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry and Miss Ailsa Craig in "Henry VIII"(b / w photo)
3651216 Miss Ellen Terry and Miss Ailsa Craig in " Henry VIII" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry and Mrs Stirling in "Romeo And Juliet"(b / w photo)
3651227 Miss Ellen Terry and Mrs Stirling in " Romeo And Juliet" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

A budding humorist of the East End doing a Charlie Chaplin impression (b / w photo)
3637510 A budding humorist of the East End doing a Charlie Chaplin impression (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry, 1865 (b / w photo)
3651264 Miss Ellen Terry, 1865 (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Miss Ellen Terry, 1865)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Viola"in "Twelfth Night"(b / w photo)
3651226 Miss Ellen Terry as " Viola" in " Twelfth Night" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Nance Oldfield"(b / w photo)
3651213 Miss Ellen Terry as " Nance Oldfield" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Madame Sans Gene"(b / w photo)
3651208 Miss Ellen Terry as " Madame Sans Gene" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Ophelia"(b / w photo)
3651234 Miss Ellen Terry as " Ophelia" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Queen Henrietta Maria"in "Charles I"(b / w photo)
3651232 Miss Ellen Terry as " Queen Henrietta Maria" in " Charles I" (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Miss Ellen Terry as "Camma"in "The Cup"(b / w photo)
3651230 Miss Ellen Terry as " Camma" in " The Cup" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Juliet"(b / w photo)
3651229 Miss Ellen Terry as " Juliet" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Guinevere"in "King Arthur"(b / w photo)
3651212 Miss Ellen Terry as " Guinevere" in " King Arthur" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Letitia Hardy"in "The Belles Stratagem"(b / w photo)
3651258 Miss Ellen Terry as " Letitia Hardy" in " The Belles Stratagem" (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Miss Ellen Terry as "Cupid"in "Endymion"(b / w photo)
3651238 Miss Ellen Terry as " Cupid" in " Endymion" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry (b / w photo)
3651236 Miss Ellen Terry (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Miss Ellen Terry)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Portia"(b / w photo)
3651235 Miss Ellen Terry as " Portia" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Charles Mathews the Elder (engraving)
2811416 Charles Mathews the Elder (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Charles Mathews the Elder)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Iolanthe"(b / w photo)
3651231 Miss Ellen Terry as " Iolanthe" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Lucy Aston"in "Ravenswood"(b / w photo)
3651217 Miss Ellen Terry as " Lucy Aston" in " Ravenswood" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Margaret"in "Faust"(b / w photo)
3651224 Miss Ellen Terry as " Margaret" in " Faust" (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Miss Ellen Terry as "Sylvia Wynford"in "The Medicine Man"(b / w photo)
3651206 Miss Ellen Terry as " Sylvia Wynford" in " The Medicine Man" (b/w photo) by English Photographer

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Unveiling the Art of Impersonation: A Journey through Time and Talent" Step into the world of impersonation, where individuals transcend their own identities to embody someone else entirely. From historical figures to entertainers, this captivating art form has fascinated audiences for centuries. In Fortunino Matania's masterpiece "Princess Caraboo, " we witness a stunning portrayal of deception as a young woman assumes the role of royalty, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. During WW1, Ella Shields captivated soldiers with her performances, bringing laughter and joy amidst chaos. Her impersonations brought solace in times of despair and reminded us all that even in war, entertainment can heal wounds. Bishamon God of Glory embodies divine power as an impersonator takes on this ancient deity's persona. Through elaborate costumes and rituals, they channel his strength and grace. Dr Johnson revisits Gough Square in a mesmerizing performance by Mr Arthur Machen. The renowned writer breathes life into history as he immerses himself in Dr Johnson's character, transporting us back to another era. The hit TV series "Upstairs Downstairs" showcases the complexities of class dynamics through various impersonations. Whether it be a man donning evening dress or a maid mimicking her mistress' voice while doing laundry - these acts challenge societal norms and blur boundaries. Lady de Frece (Vesta Tilley) captivates audiences with her incredible talent for male impersonation. With wit and charm, she challenges gender stereotypes while entertaining crowds worldwide. From ancient times to modern-day trench pantomimes during WW1, female impersonators have taken center stage. These brave performers defy expectations by assuming traditionally male roles - showcasing their versatility and breaking down barriers along the way. Even objects themselves can become impostors. Vessels shaped like owls or seals playing drums take on new identities from 100 B. C. /A. D 500.