Dazzler Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hi All, We are having a debate in the construction office here at the NT - what is the history of the humble stage weight? When it did it take it's current shape, and who did it first? Cheers,Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinntec Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 It appears the LSI magazine had a history of stage weights article in Feb 2008, but doesn't seem to be online now - see http://www.blue-room...showtopic=25442 but doesn't say what it contained. When I started in 1968, we used battered stageweights of the well known design then so certainly 1950s, probably earlier. See A Primer of Stagecraft page 129 which says it was invented by Arthur C Cloetingh, Director of Dramatics at Pennsylvania State College. The description doesn't sound like the classic design, and this book was published 1941, so possibly it was after that. The Penn State Players was founded in 1919 and held their first performance in 1920 under the direction of Arthur C. Cloetingh. Does that help to narrow it down? I presume there was a patent on them originally, I wonder if someone has one old enough still in existence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pscandrett Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The Feb 2008 L&SI /is/ online: http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?eid=b6f0e4e3-fb78-4307-b6c6-69fb013a2366 via http://www.lsionline.co.uk/digital/ if that link doesn't work (page 26). The article gives a bit of history but also says "Noone quite knows its origins"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Stageweights are a modification of scale weights which have had handles cast in since Victorian times. Plenty of early examples had dimple and nipple or indentations for stacking though stageweights have been flattened out for stability. Like many things in our game they almost certainly developed from existing tools and items just as hoists and trussing have done. How they developed may be interesting but I would bet the farm that strolling players were anchoring scenery with the village smiths' anvils long before Noah was a Sea Scout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRW Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hi All, We are having a debate in the construction office here at the NT - what is the history of the humble stage weight? When it did it take it's current shape, and who did it first? Cheers,Darren Ah, but what came first, the stage weight, or the stage brace?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Ah, but what came first, the stage weight, or the stage brace?! Errm, rope and nails? I particularly like the state of the art lighting, God on fader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OkieJohn Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 I don't know if this will be of interest but Rick Boychuk of Canada released this book last year. http://www.amazon.co...nobody+looks+up I also don't know if it can be ordered amazon UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 I saw this question float around Twitter a week or so ago - I assume the source is the same? Anyway, I suggested that Hall Stage may have records of when they started manufacturing them. My guess is early 20th Century. They're mentioned in my 1939 copy of Scenery for The Theatre by Burris-Meyer and Cole as if they're well-established pieces of equipment, but they do not appear in my 1936 copy of Stage Scenery and Lighting By Sellen and Sellman, which might narrow the search range down a bit. Mind you, those are both books of US origin and the standard "stage weight" design we all know and love isn't popular here anyway. (We use sandbags and counterweight bricks, mainly.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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