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SKELETON

Marionette
mid 1970s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The skeleton is a trick puppet and an old traditional act. By unhooking the leg bar and drawing the lower end of the control up; the head and body rise up; leaving the legs and arms dancing away by rocking bar. By reversing the procedure; the body and head fly back into position and are held there as long as the control is held quite upright. By pulling the ring the head will leave the body. Parts - modelled and painted white and black to represent bones of a skeleton; eyes are red rimmed. The whole is strung with black threads with a long control bar with a round knob at one end and a flat bar at the other and a moveable bar; together with metal hooks. Parts strung together.
Shown in both 1975 and 1984 catalogues. The white colour has aged to a cream which suggests that it is older.

Object details

Object type
TitleSKELETON (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Composition, wood; cloth and string
Brief description
Marionette; Skeleton; sl18; English; mid 1970s
Physical description
The skeleton is a trick puppet and an old traditional act. By unhooking the leg bar and drawing the lower end of the control up; the head and body rise up; leaving the legs and arms dancing away by rocking bar. By reversing the procedure; the body and head fly back into position and are held there as long as the control is held quite upright. By pulling the ring the head will leave the body. Parts - modelled and painted white and black to represent bones of a skeleton; eyes are red rimmed. The whole is strung with black threads with a long control bar with a round knob at one end and a flat bar at the other and a moveable bar; together with metal hooks. Parts strung together.
Shown in both 1975 and 1984 catalogues. The white colour has aged to a cream which suggests that it is older.
Dimensions
  • Height: 30.4cm
Object history
References: Pelham Puppets Catalogues; 1975 and 1984

Belonged to the donor and her husband who regularly operated the puppet
Collection
Accession number
B.69-1993

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Record createdApril 17, 2000
Record URL
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