Description

Height: 51cm

An original vintage clown hand puppet dating from the 1970s, featuring a hand-painted papier-mâché head and mounted on a custom display stand.
This wonderfully eccentric character displays all the charm of traditional folk and fairground puppetry, with exaggerated painted features, wide expressive eyes, rosy cheeks and a bright yellow cap.

The puppet retains its original fabric costume decorated with bold blue floral motifs, creating a striking contrast against the vividly painted head.

Hand-crafted puppets of this type were often produced for children’s entertainment, travelling shows, amateur theatre and folk performances during the mid-20th century.

Their handmade nature means that no two examples are ever quite alike, giving each piece a distinct personality and presence.

Today, vintage puppets are increasingly sought after by collectors of folk art, theatre memorabilia, carnival and circus ephemera, outsider art, curiosities and unusual decorative objects.

Mounted for display, this example makes a fascinating conversation piece and an eye-catching addition to any cabinet of curiosities or theatrical collection.