Marionette
Category
Toys
Date
Unknown
Materials
Wood, plaster, wool, fabric, plastic, hair, metal and nylon fishing line
Measurements
830 mm (height)
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 661550
Summary
One of the puppets made for and used by the ‘Lilliput Marionette Theatre’. This marionette as identified as a ‘mermaid’ or ‘Sea Witch’ and is from a play entitled 'The Little Mermaid'. The marionette has its control. She has a plaster face on top of wood with painted and moulded facial features. She is jointed at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and waist and at the end of her tail with metal joints. The Sea Witch has a green painted, wrinkled face with a pointed noise and chin. Her mouth is open to reveal two teeth. Her eyes are blue sequins with black pupils. Her left pupil is missing. She has long black hair with white streaks, and a headband of blue artificial flowers. Her hair is coming detached at the back. The top half of her body and arms are wood. She is wearing a black, silver coloured speckled long sleeved top with embroidered green 'leaves' around her neck and right side. This top is ripped in places, particularly at the back. Her hands are modelling material, with long green webbed and clawed fingers. On the right hand, the colour has come away. Her tail is stuffed and covered with scalloped layers of material, with a white and grey flower design, grey plastic and clear plastic sequins. Her wooden tail is painted green-blue. The wooden and metal control is still attached with nylon fishing line threaded from various places.
Provenance
Donated to the Museum of Childhood by Mr E Hellawell in 1982.