Hymack’s expanding umbrella

Hymack was a successful quick change artist who used many surprising effects in his act. One was this umbrella which instantaneously expands to a long length. The umbrella was renovated and recovered in 1985 by Harry Carson and his wife Jean. The photograph (credit David Woolliscroft) shows Harry in his workshop with Anne Davenport, with a barely visible John Davenport behind. The composite photograph compares the umbrella in the fully contracted and fully expanded states. A piece of A4 paper acts as a size marker.