Summary

Hand made marionette depicting a very small clown. It was manufactured and operated in Melbourne by Alex and Murray Smith, who performed as part of Le Forgeron Marionettes from 1930 until 1956.

Physical Description

Marionetted depicting a very small clown, which has been constructed in a completely different style to the other marionettes (perhaps it was purchased or was an experiment.) On the back of the head there is an indentation of what appears to be a manufacturer's stamp, which is only partially legible. The facial features are less exaggerated than those on the other marionettes, however the paintwork attempts to compensate for this. Consequently it is suspected that although the head and/or body may have been manufactured, it has been decorated by the Smith family. The teeth have been carved inside the mouth. The very small clown wears a hat which, despite being quite hard, seems to be made of paper/card and painted in red and white. The head has been attached to a very small body constructed of wood and compacted straw. The marionette's limbs have also been made from wood which have been attached to the torso by small metal hooks. The torso has been painted roughly in green, white and red; whilst the limbs have been painted in red, white and blue. The body, despite being constructed in a different style to the other marionettes, does not appear to be manufactured. His right leg keeps falling off. There is some damage to the bottom of the torso, exposing the straw, but the marionette is in good condition overall. The very small clown is attached to a one piece mechanism.

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