Puppet - Wood

Wooden painted string puppet — Carrier of baskets and hamper, apron-dress with floral pattern
France, late 19th century.

Female puppet wearing a high back-hamper and miniature wicker baskets. Her face, hand-painted with rosy cheeks and soft features, is framed by a headdress matching the costume, edged with light lace and tied under the chin.

The loose gray-green dress with long sleeves is accompanied by a light apron with vertical floral stripes, dotted with pink flowers and foliage. A pink border outlines the apron; the bottom of the dress reveals a layering of light and pale textiles. The feet are shod in brown.

The tall dark bonnet, narrowed at the lower part, contrasts with the lighter hand-held baskets. The care given to the weaving and to the costume trimmings gives this figure an expressive presence. It offers a collectible subject around the character puppet, miniature basketry, and imagery of popular activities.

Construction combining hand-painted wooden elements and flexible textile parts; threads connected to a wooden control.
All elements are old and original: puppet, costume, accessories, thread, and control.
Dimensions of the figure: approximately 45 cm in height, excluding threads and control, 25 cm in width and 15 cm in depth. Weight: 2 kg.

Fine antique condition, with an authentic patina reflecting time and history. The nuances of painted wood and textiles contribute to the character of this collectible piece. The overall and detailed photographs allow precise appreciation of its condition.

The string puppets belong to the tradition of the animated figure theatre. Operated from above, they are suspended by threads gathered on a wooden control, called a control bar or cross. The puppeteer manipulates this setup to give the character its postures and movements. Used by artists and companies, but also in amateur and family theatres, they bring to life stories, comic scenes, and musical or dance numbers. The professions and musicians evoke a universally recognizable popular world through costume and accessories. These objects unite sculpture, painting, textile sewing, and miniature work, all valued in collections dedicated to old theatre and toys.

Lot including a puppet, its wooden control, its threads, and the accessories shown with it in the original photographs.

Photographic presentation: the first eight images show outlining, with backgrounds prepared with AI assistance or cleaned backgrounds. The puppet, its threads, and its accessories are preserved. The seven original, unretouched photographs follow to document the object and its condition. The backdrop decorative accessories are not part of the lot.