Hand-carved wooden marionettes and puppets — for the stage, for collectors and for the nursery. Carved from limewood, jointed for strings, painted one by one.
A marionette is not a plastic casting. We carve the head and limbs from limewood, tie the joints so they move naturally, and balance the strings on a control bar. Then come the painting and the costume. A puppet like this lasts generations — and can actually be played.
Hand-carved, light and strong.
Joints for strings, natural motion on a control bar.
Face and costume one by one, nothing mass-made.
Classic characters or a puppet from your own design. Sizes from table-top to stage. Sample content; in your version you add your own puppets.
A stately puppet in costume, a crown or armour.
from £240
A lady in a gown, a painted face, real hair.
from £225
A carved character with a painted face and costume.
from £170
A character from your own model or a photo.
from £205
We carve the head, hands and legs from a limewood log.
We tie the joints and balance the strings on a control bar.
We paint the face and sew a costume to measure.
I make puppets one at a time, from the log to the last brushstroke. I do the carving, jointing and painting myself, so the puppet not only looks right but plays right — properly balanced, alive in the hand. Rather one done well than ten in a hurry. With every puppet you get a guide on how to work it and how to care for it.
Tell me the puppet you want — the character, the size, the costume. We can also make a portrait puppet from a photo. I'll reply with a proposal and an indicative price. The enquiry is without obligation.