This property birdcage was made to be used in performance by marionettes from the Jim Tiller troupe, probably ca.1950.

England has a rich history of puppetry, dating back hundreds of years, Puppets entertained people of all ages, from the working classes to royalty. Satirical puppet shows were staged in London theatres in the 18th century, and by the 1870s travelling marionette shows were extremely popular. These were performed by family troupes, including the Barnard, Tiller, and Clowes families. Staged in illuminated canvas booths and tents (called fit-ups), audiences were enthralled by the detailed and lifelike figures. Marionettes included ‘stock characters’, such as the law-enforcing policeman, the dainty heroine and dastardly villain, as well as comic characters like the drunken stilt-walker who featured in music hall performances, and pantomime characters, including the magical Harlequin, Columbine, Clown and Pantaloon. And if a new performer, like the tightrope walker Blondin, made a hit in real life, marionette companies would create him for their shows!

With the rise of cinema in the early 20th century, and the lack of young men to work with the troupes following the outbreak of the First World War, travelling marionette shows dwindled in popularity. However, a few families continued the tradition where they could, after the enforced hiatus of World War I. The Jim Tiller troupe was one of these, and, as well as using old puppets, Tiller had new ones made in the 1950s.