Puppets
Puppets have been used for entertainment for centuries in countries all over the world, particularly India and China. Travelling puppeteers were very popular in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Bunraku
Bunraku performances originated in Japan in the late 16th century. They were originally called 'ningyo-joruri' which translates literally as puppets and storytelling.
Hand Puppets
Hand (or glove) puppets are generally very simple in construction. The head is usually made of carved wood or papier mache. The features are often exaggerated caricatures so that they can be seen from a distance, whilst the body is a cloth tube which hides the operator's arm.
String puppets
This string puppet was made between 1950 and 1959 by the English company Pelham Puppets Ltd. It is a poodle and is made with real white rabbit fur. The puppet has all its strings attached to a single wooden control bar.
Shadow Puppets
This is a shadow puppet from Java. Shadow puppets are a type of rod puppet. They are generally jointed figures operated from below using rods made from wire or wood.
