Lewis Davenport’s thimble banner

Lewis Davenport was well known for his skilful thimble manipulations. Prior to the effect, Wynne Davenport, his wife and assistant in his stage act, would display the WATCH THE THIMBLE banner. In view of the size of the theatres in which Lewis worked, the audience probably appreciated this advice. The lettering is made from diamante on a black velvet background and would have sparkled in the stage lighting. This particular banner was probably made in the late 1930s for a proposed visit to the USA which never took place. The black and white photograph shows an earlier version of a banner which appeared as the cover of ‘S.A. Pictorial Stage and Cinema’ when Lewis and Wynne Davenport were touring South Africa in 1926.