Glove Puppet thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Glove Puppet

1937 (made), 1994 (altered)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This glove puppet is Joey the Clown, one of a set of figures used in his Punch and Judy show by Arthur William Ford (1901-1974), known professionally as 'Professor' Gordon Bavister. The figures were bought in 1937 and are mostly made by the master puppet maker Arthur Quisto (1882-1960).

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.

In the Punch and Judy show written by Professor Bavister Joey hits Mr Punch with the gallows that Punch has taken down, and he helps Mr Punch put the Hangman in the coffin before singing 'Here we go round the Mulberry Buxh' with him.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Carved and painted wood with sewn fabric and pressed glass.
Brief description
Glove puppet of Joey the Clown used from 1937 onwards by Arthur William Ford (1901-1974) known as Professor Gordon Bavister who scripted and operated a Punch and Judy show. Made by Arthur Quisto (1882-1960).
Physical description
Glove puppet of Joey the Clown with blue glass eyes, a carved wooden face, painted white, with three tufts of orange hair, and wearing a red spotted ruffled gown.
Dimensions
  • Height: 52.0cm
  • Width: 24.5cm
maximum width, with arms outstretched.
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 a set of 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 by his father 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 referencePunch and Judy
Summary
This glove puppet is Joey the Clown, one of a set of figures used in his Punch and Judy show by Arthur William Ford (1901-1974), known professionally as 'Professor' Gordon Bavister. The figures were bought in 1937 and are mostly made by the master puppet maker Arthur Quisto (1882-1960).

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.

In the Punch and Judy show written by Professor Bavister Joey hits Mr Punch with the gallows that Punch has taken down, and he helps Mr Punch put the Hangman in the coffin before singing 'Here we go round the Mulberry Buxh' with him.
Collection
Accession number
S.531-2012

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Record createdMay 21, 2012
Record URL
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