An original theatre box door number plate from the London Opera House (later the Stoll theatre), 1911.

The London Opera House was financed by the American impresario Oscar Hammerstein to rival the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Situated at 22 Kingsway, London, the theatre was designed by the well-known theatre architect Bertie Crewe and finished in a lavish French Renaissance style. It opened on 13th November 1911 with a production of Quo Vadis?, but despite the opulence the venue was not a success and it closed soon afterwards.   

The building was bought in 1916 by Oswald Stoll and converted into a cinema, reverting to a live theatre once more in 1941. During the 1950s the Stoll Theatre became a famous West End venue (especially for musicals) but was closed in 1957 and demolished in 1958. The final production at the theatre was Titus Andronicus, starring Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, which played to a packed house. 

This door plate was saved from the demolition and presented to a West End set builder who had worked on several productions at the Stoll.

A higher resolution image is available to view on request.