Glove Puppet
1937 (made), 1994 (altered)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This glove puppet is Judy is one of a set of figures used in his Punch and Judy show by Arthur William Ford, known professionally as 'Professor' Gordon Bavister. The figures were bought in 1937 and are mostly made by the master puppet maker Arthur Quisto.
Mr Punch was first recorded in England in 1662 by the famous diarist Samuel Pepys when he saw him as a marionette, operated in Covent Garden by the Italian puppet showman Signor Bologna. Pulchinella, as he was then called, was presented within a tent rather than in the type of booth we know today. Pepys brought his wife to see the show two weeks later and that October the same show was performed at Whitehall for the King.
We all know Mr. Punch's wife as Judy but in the earliest Punch & Judy shows she was known as Joan. She traditionally fights with Mr. Punch because of his careless treatment of their baby. In Professor Bavister's version Judy calls Punch a 'wicked old scamp' when she hears that he's thrown the baby out of the window and hits him with a tin plate. Punch knocks her out with his stick and throws her downstairs.
Mr Punch was first recorded in England in 1662 by the famous diarist Samuel Pepys when he saw him as a marionette, operated in Covent Garden by the Italian puppet showman Signor Bologna. Pulchinella, as he was then called, was presented within a tent rather than in the type of booth we know today. Pepys brought his wife to see the show two weeks later and that October the same show was performed at Whitehall for the King.
We all know Mr. Punch's wife as Judy but in the earliest Punch & Judy shows she was known as Joan. She traditionally fights with Mr. Punch because of his careless treatment of their baby. In Professor Bavister's version Judy calls Punch a 'wicked old scamp' when she hears that he's thrown the baby out of the window and hits him with a tin plate. Punch knocks her out with his stick and throws her downstairs.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved and painted wood with sewn fabric and pressed glass. |
| Brief description | Glove puppet of Judy used from 1937 onwards by Arthur William Ford (1901-1974) who worked professionally as Professor Gordon Bavister, who scripted and operated a Punch and Judy show. Made by Arthur Quisto (1882-1960). |
| Physical description | Glove puppet of Judy with a painted, carved wooden face with blue glass eyes, wearing a mustard yellow mop cap, a green wollen dress and a white cotton apron. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Donated by Michael De La Ford in memory of his father Arthur William Ford (1901-1974) who as 'Professor' Gordon Bavister scripted and operated his Punch and Judy show from 1937 onwards. |
| Object history | This is one of the Punch & Judy figures donated by the son of the Punchman 'Professor' Gordon Bavister (1901-1974), along with the script of the show and the booth. All the figures were bought in 1937 and were made by Arthur Quisto, except the Boxers and the Ghost, which were added later. The puppet booth is complete with its blue velvet curtains, a painted backdrop, the facade of Punch's house, other properties, and two swazzles. |
| Associations | |
| Literary reference | Punch and Judy |
| Summary | This glove puppet is Judy is one of a set of figures used in his Punch and Judy show by Arthur William Ford, known professionally as 'Professor' Gordon Bavister. The figures were bought in 1937 and are mostly made by the master puppet maker Arthur Quisto. Mr Punch was first recorded in England in 1662 by the famous diarist Samuel Pepys when he saw him as a marionette, operated in Covent Garden by the Italian puppet showman Signor Bologna. Pulchinella, as he was then called, was presented within a tent rather than in the type of booth we know today. Pepys brought his wife to see the show two weeks later and that October the same show was performed at Whitehall for the King. We all know Mr. Punch's wife as Judy but in the earliest Punch & Judy shows she was known as Joan. She traditionally fights with Mr. Punch because of his careless treatment of their baby. In Professor Bavister's version Judy calls Punch a 'wicked old scamp' when she hears that he's thrown the baby out of the window and hits him with a tin plate. Punch knocks her out with his stick and throws her downstairs. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.527-2012 |
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| Record created | May 16, 2012 |
| Record URL |
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