Bonnet
ca.1890
ca.1890
This bonnet came with a set of four 'living' marionettes or neck-puppets that were given to the museum in their original wooden travelling case, complete with the tabletop proscenium and black curtains used for his act. It was purchased by the donor's mother from the owner, a showman who lived in the north of England and it was believed to have been used for sea-front entertainment.
The act appears to have consisted of the four marionettes that represent a guardsman, a lady and two gentlemen in tweeds - possibly a father, his daughter and her two suitors. Each puppet has tapes attached to its shoulders that tied around the operator's neck so that the operator's head which poked through the black drapes became that of the marionette in front of the drapes. The limbs of the figure are worked by four metal rods, two attached to the elbows of the figure and two to its feet, held by the operator and an assistant wearing black gloves, and a hat or bonnet to signify a character, such as this one.
The act appears to have originated in France and was known before the Victorian magician Dr. Lynn (1831-1899), also known as High Washington Simmons and Washington Blythe made the act popular in the 1870s when he was appearing at the London Aquarium. Dr. Lynn's act is mentioned in Hoffman's Modern Magic, 1880, when he notes: 'On a small stage a real living head, attached to a miniature body, sings, talks and acts; and it is plain to the audience that while the head is really a human one, the body is but a toy.'
The act appears to have consisted of the four marionettes that represent a guardsman, a lady and two gentlemen in tweeds - possibly a father, his daughter and her two suitors. Each puppet has tapes attached to its shoulders that tied around the operator's neck so that the operator's head which poked through the black drapes became that of the marionette in front of the drapes. The limbs of the figure are worked by four metal rods, two attached to the elbows of the figure and two to its feet, held by the operator and an assistant wearing black gloves, and a hat or bonnet to signify a character, such as this one.
The act appears to have originated in France and was known before the Victorian magician Dr. Lynn (1831-1899), also known as High Washington Simmons and Washington Blythe made the act popular in the 1870s when he was appearing at the London Aquarium. Dr. Lynn's act is mentioned in Hoffman's Modern Magic, 1880, when he notes: 'On a small stage a real living head, attached to a miniature body, sings, talks and acts; and it is plain to the audience that while the head is really a human one, the body is but a toy.'
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Pale pink ruched and frilled machine-sewn organdie bonnet worn by a travelling showman performing with 'living marionettes' and a tabletop theatre, ca.1890, when his head or that of a fellow performer was the talking head for the puppet. Given by Michael Andrews. |
| Physical description | Pale pink ruched and frilled machine-sewn organdie bonnet with integral material forming ties to tie at the nape of the neck and for ties under the chin |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Michael Andrews |
| Object history | This bonnet was in the wooden box that contained the 'living marionettes' and their tapletop fit-up. The donor said of the theatre and its marionettes in an e-mail to the museum: 'I think my mother saw it advertised in a newspaper up north on the retirement of the original owner/performer. I seem to remember it had been used on the sea-front up north. She probably bought it in the late 1920s or early 1930s and the theatre is probably at least Edwardian.' |
| Summary | This bonnet came with a set of four 'living' marionettes or neck-puppets that were given to the museum in their original wooden travelling case, complete with the tabletop proscenium and black curtains used for his act. It was purchased by the donor's mother from the owner, a showman who lived in the north of England and it was believed to have been used for sea-front entertainment. The act appears to have consisted of the four marionettes that represent a guardsman, a lady and two gentlemen in tweeds - possibly a father, his daughter and her two suitors. Each puppet has tapes attached to its shoulders that tied around the operator's neck so that the operator's head which poked through the black drapes became that of the marionette in front of the drapes. The limbs of the figure are worked by four metal rods, two attached to the elbows of the figure and two to its feet, held by the operator and an assistant wearing black gloves, and a hat or bonnet to signify a character, such as this one. The act appears to have originated in France and was known before the Victorian magician Dr. Lynn (1831-1899), also known as High Washington Simmons and Washington Blythe made the act popular in the 1870s when he was appearing at the London Aquarium. Dr. Lynn's act is mentioned in Hoffman's Modern Magic, 1880, when he notes: 'On a small stage a real living head, attached to a miniature body, sings, talks and acts; and it is plain to the audience that while the head is really a human one, the body is but a toy.' |
| Associated objects | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.214-2012 |
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| Record created | February 7, 2013 |
| Record URL |
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