Summary

Hand made marionette depicting a guard of the underwater King Neptune. 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

Marionette depicting a male guard of the underwater King Neptune. A green cotton-type fabric covers his arms, torso and has been used to make mid-length pants. His legs and feet have been painted green. He has no felt on his soles, just lead. A green net-type fabric shot with silver has been draped around the Neptune guard, with a collar made of gold netting. He wears a matching green net hat shot with silver. His wooden hands are both unpainted. He has a very rosy complexion, a large red nose, and green rings painted around his eyes. The nose is not smooth like the rest of the face. Previous eyebrows can be seen through the paint. His grey hair remains largely intact. This marionette is constructed in a different way to the others in that his body and head have been formed using a flat piece of wood, and his arms have been made with wire. Extending from the marionette's back is a large wire which arches over his head. The purpose of this is unknown.This marionette has no mechanism.

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