Bill Bailey glove puppet
Glove Puppet
1937 (made), 1994 (altered)
1937 (made), 1994 (altered)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This glove puppet is Bill Bailey, the white boxer, 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 were made by the master puppet maker Arthur Quisto (1882-1960), except the two boxers and the ghost, whose maker is not known.
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 the clown and Mr. Punch start hitting each other with Punch's stick. When Punch wants a proper fight, Joey calls his boxer friend Bill Bailey to fight for him. Mr. Punch refuses to fight him and calls his friend Jack Begonia, the black boxer, to fight for him. Punch and Joey exit while the boxers fight. When Punch returns, finding his boxer knocked out on stage, he knocks the white boxer out before having more fighting business with Joey the clown.
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 the clown and Mr. Punch start hitting each other with Punch's stick. When Punch wants a proper fight, Joey calls his boxer friend Bill Bailey to fight for him. Mr. Punch refuses to fight him and calls his friend Jack Begonia, the black boxer, to fight for him. Punch and Joey exit while the boxers fight. When Punch returns, finding his boxer knocked out on stage, he knocks the white boxer out before having more fighting business with Joey the clown.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Bill Bailey glove puppet (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved and painted wood with sewn fabric, and attached black cotton loop for suspension. |
| Brief description | Glove puppet of Bill Bailey, the white boxer used from 1937 onwards by Arthur William Ford (1901-1974) known as Professor Gordon Bavister who scripted and operated a Punch and Judy show. Unknown maker. |
| Physical description | Glove puppet of the white boxer. Carved, painted wood with wispy blond human hair. Wearing a black and white dogtooth checked woollen robe and cream cotton boxing gloves |
| 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 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. |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Punch and Judy |
| Summary | This glove puppet is Bill Bailey, the white boxer, 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 were made by the master puppet maker Arthur Quisto (1882-1960), except the two boxers and the ghost, whose maker is not known. 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 the clown and Mr. Punch start hitting each other with Punch's stick. When Punch wants a proper fight, Joey calls his boxer friend Bill Bailey to fight for him. Mr. Punch refuses to fight him and calls his friend Jack Begonia, the black boxer, to fight for him. Punch and Joey exit while the boxers fight. When Punch returns, finding his boxer knocked out on stage, he knocks the white boxer out before having more fighting business with Joey the clown. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.535-2012 |
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| Record created | July 18, 2012 |
| Record URL |
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