2017-10-20 Guide to the Puppetry Collection, circa 1850s-2024, bulk circa 1980s-2010s SPEC.TRI.PUP Finding aid prepared by Rachael Riggs Leyva; Belle Teesdale; Karen Glenn; Courtney Bishop; Beth Crowner; Ashleigh Minor; Lindsay Resnick; Audrey Wimbiscus Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2017 October; 2018 August; 2019 November; 2021 August; 2021 September; 2023 January; 2025 April This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2025-04-25T16:44-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Puppetry Collection SPEC.TRI.PUP Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 21.38 Cubic feet circa 1850s-2024, bulk circa 1980s-2010s Puppetry, including the use of marionettes, is an art form used by professional theaters and troupes, in education and recreational settings, and in ritual settings. It has been documented all over the world for many centuries. The Puppetry Collection contains marionettes, programs, puppets, and other materials related to puppetry theater. It also includes scripts for puppet plays, videorecordings of puppet theater performances, shadow and rod puppets, masks, and carvings. The materials in this collection range from circa 1850s-2024, with the bulk of the material dated circa 1980s-2010s. Most of the materials are in English, with a few in French, two in Polish, one in German, and one in Italian. (10) oversize flat boxes; (5) card boxes; (5) oversize folders; (3) oversize document boxes; (3) flat boxes; (2) rolled items; (2) 2.5" letter document boxes; (2) 5'' letter document boxes; (2) 2.5'' legal document boxes; (2) costume boxes English, French, Polish, German, Italian Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute Arrangement of Materials

This collection is arranged alphabetically by format descriptions. Within each format materials are then arranged in alphabetical order based on the title or description of the item; materials with the same title are further arranged in chronological order. Three unprocessed additions (listed as Accession No. TRI.2021.0016, Accession No. TRI.2025.0006, and Accession No. TRI.2025.0007) follow the processed portion portion of the collection; the unprocessed additions are arranged in the order received.

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. TRI.2012.0010: Purchased, 2012 March; Accession No. TRI.2013.0037: Purchased, 2013 April; Accession No. TRI.2013.0065: Purchased, 2013 June; Accession No. TRI.2013.0066: Purchased, 2013 June: Accession No. TRI.2013.0068: Purchased, 2013 June, Accession No. TRI.2014.0013: Purchased, date unknown; Accession No. TRI.2014.0014: Purchased, date unknown; Accession No. TRI.2014.0029: Purchased, date unknown; Accession No. TRI.2016.0035: Purchased, 2015 November; Accession No. TRI.2016.0038: Purchased, 2015 November; Accession No. TRI.2016.0096: Purchased, 2016 September; Accession No. TRI.2018.0067: Ralph MacPhail, 2018 April; Accession No. TRI.2018.0069: Diversity Committee, 2018 February; Accession No. TRI.2019.0090: Lauren Van Winkle, 2019 November; Accession No. TRI.2021.0016: Lesley Ferris, 2020 July; Accession No. TRI.2023.0001: Purchased, 2022 May; Accession No. TRI.2023.0002: Purchased, 2020 December; Accession No. TRI.2025.0006: Purchased, 2024 May; Accession No. TRI.2025.0007: Beth Kattelman, 2024 August; method of acquisition for some contents unknown

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Puppetry Collection, SPEC.TRI.PUP, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute, Ohio State University

 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains VHS videocassettes, a DVD, and a compact disc.

 Access to Materials

Audio/visual materials and computer media may need a use copy produced before access is allowed. The remainder of the materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

Processed by: Belle Teesdale and Karen Glenn, 2017 October; Courtney Bishop, 2018 August; Beth Crowner, 2019 November; Courtney Bishop, 2021 September; Lindsay Resnick, 2023 January; Finding aid written by: Belle Teesdale and Karen Glenn, 2017 October; Courtney Bishop, 2018 August; Beth Crowner, 2019 November; Ashleigh Minor, 2021 August; Courtney Bishop, 2021 September; Lindsay Resnick, 2023 January; Audrey Wimbiscus, 2025 April

 Historical Note

Puppetry was first recorded in the 5th century in Ancient Greece. It has been documented all over the world in a variety of countries such as India, Mexico, Thailand, and the Czech Republic. Puppets, which are objects usually representing a human or animal, are controlled by a puppeteer. Types of puppets vary in size and shape, and can be known as marionettes, finger puppets, sock puppets, shadow puppets, and bib puppets. Puppet plays have been performed as entertainment for children, by professional theaters and troupes, as in-home entertainment, in educational and recreational settings, and in ritual settings. Wayang is a form of Indonesian puppet theater that can be traced back to the spread of Hinduism during the medieval era and there are many different styles including shadow puppets (wayang kulit) and rod puppets (wayang golek).

 Scope and Contents

The Puppetry Collection contains postcards, programs, brochures, photographs, and other materials related to puppetry around the world. Also included are marionettes and Jim Beam bottles in the likeness of popular ventriloquist dolls. The collection includes scripts and videorecordings for puppet plays, including Punch and Judy, a Turkish shadow puppet, and Indonesian shadow and rod puppets (wayang kulit and wayang golek), masks, carvings, wall hangings, a Japanese bunraku puppet head, and an Anklung, a musical instrument. The materials in this collection range from circa 1850s-2024, with the bulk of the material dated circa 1980s-2010s. Most of the materials are in English with a few in French, two in Polish, one in German, and one in Italian.

 Related Materials Loutkář Loutkář Bib puppets / by Baird Hall Bunraku puppets--Japan--20th century Carvings (visual works) Marionettes (stringed puppets) Programs (documents) Puppet plays Puppet theater Puppets Rod puppets--Indonesia--20th century Rod puppets--Indonesia--21st century Scripts (documents) Shadow puppets--Indonesia--20th century Shadow puppets--Indonesia--21st century Theatrical masks Booklets: Bread and Puppet Theatre "Hallelujah" 1 1 1983 Booklets: In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre information 1 21 2008 May Brochures: "The Beautiful Balloon" summer theatre at Moorhead State College 1 22 2000s Brochures: Bread and Puppet Theatre "Gates of Hell" 1 23 1998 Brochures: Bunraku: The National Puppet Theater of Japan 1 24 1992 March 10-14 Brochures: In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre 1 25 2003-2004 Brochures: In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre 1 26 2005-2006 Brochures: Latshaw (George) performances and workshops 1 27 1980s Brochures: The Museum of Puppets, Chrudim 1 2 circa 1998 Brochures: Musée Suisse de la Marionette 1 3 circa 2002 Brochures: Muzeum Loutkářských Kultur 1 28 circa 1973 Brochures: "Prof. Smog's Medicine Show" 1 29 1969-1996 Carving: Wood face with headdress, beard, and earring 15 3 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Carving: Wood with 3 dragon figures and 1 person with a headdress 15 1 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Catalog: Handspring Puppet Company "Episodes" 1 4 2001 June-July Drawing: Original for Guignol postcard by Coulon 2 2 circa 1902 DVD: Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre "Faust on a String" 1 5 circa 1993 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Compact disc.

 Exhibition Guide: National Museum of the Performing Arts "Forkbeard: Architects of Fantasy" 1 20 1999 May-November Gallery Guide: Wexner Center for the Arts "Playing with Fire" 1 6 1999-2000 Gift note: For red and gold textile attached to cardboard 19 1 2008 Hand puppet: Havana, Cuba (with pipe) 7 1 2002 Jim Beam bottle: Charlie McCarthy 8 1 undated Jim Beam bottle: Mortimer Snerd 8 23 undated Lithograph: Punch and Judy 1 16 circa 1890 Lithograph: Punch and Judy "Vainqueurs et vaincus tout est fricot pur le diable" TRI Shared 3 1 circa 1850s Mask: Leather painted black face with multi-color headdress 16 1 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Mask: Wood painted blue and black with bird on headdress 21 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Mask: Wood painted blue and black with headdress 21 3 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Mask: Wood painted red and maroon with flower on headdress 21 1 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Mask: Wood painted red face black beard with elongated nose 10 1 1994 Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Mask: Wood painted white face with multi-color headdress 21 4 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Marionette: India 5 1 undated Marionette: India (with mask) 5 2 undated Marionette: Mexico 3 1 undated Marionette: Thailand 4 1 undated Musical Instrument: Encapsulated with orange and black textile on the edge "Angklung from Bandung West Java Indonesia" written on wood 11 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Photographs: Bread and Puppet Theatre 1 7 undated Photographs: Turnabout Theatre 2 1 1944 July Postcards: Bread and Puppet Theater 23 34 1982-1989 Postcards: Old Estonian Puppets 24 1 2016 Postcards: Puppet theatre of Japan, Bunraku puppet 1 8 undated Postcards: Salzburg marionette 1 9 undated Postcards: Wayang Kulit shadow puppet 1 10 undated Posters: Museo Internazionale delle Marionette Antonio Pasqualino (Palermo, Italy) 1 undated Programs: Bread and Puppet Theatre in "Icarus" 1 31 circa 1989 Programs: Bread and Puppet Theatre in "Attica and Man of Flesh & Cardboard: A Cardboard Opera" and "Man=Carrot Circus" 1 30 2011 December Programs: Bunraku: The National Puppet Theater of Japan TRI Shared 3 2 1973 Programs: Bunraku: The National Puppet Theater of Japan in "The Love Suicides at Sonezaki" 1 32 1992 March Programs: Burkett (Ronnie) in "Street of Blood" 1 33 1990s Programs: Green Ginger in "slaphead: demon barber" 1 34 1998 Programs: HERE's Dream Music Puppetry Program presents "Symphonie Fantastique" 1 37 1998 Programs: HERE's Dream Music Puppetry Program presents "Puppetry from There to Here" 1 36 2001 January 2-21 Programs: HERE's Dream Music Puppetry Program presents "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" 1 35 2006 spring Programs: HERE's Dream Music Puppetry Program and FiveMyles presents "Strange Tales of Liaozhai" 1 38 2012-2013 Programs: International Festival Puppet Theater presents "Puppetry at the Public" 23 3 1992 September Programs: International Festival Puppet Theater 1 39 1994 September 6-18 Programs: International Festival Puppet Theater 1 40 1996-1997 Programs: International Festival Puppet Theater 23 1 1998 September Programs: International Festival Puppet Theater presents "Snuffhouse Dustlouse" 23 4 2000 September 6-16 Programs: International Festival Puppet Theater 23 2 2000 September 6-24 Programs: Krofft Theatre presents "Les Poupées de Paris" 23 5 circa 1962 Programs: "Kukla, Burr, and Ollie" 23 6 1960 November Programs: The Little Players presents "The Standwells at Home" 23 8 circa 1965 Programs: Mabou Mines and The Gertrude Stein Repertory Theatre present "An Epidog" 23 9 1996 February 10 Programs: La MaMa e.t.c. presents "The Wound" 23 7 2000 Programs: "Mirna Lekić, piano; Caroline Borderies & Suzanne Borderies, shadow puppets" recital 23 10 2013 November 25 Programs: "Mozart und die Marionetten von Salzburg" 1 11 circa 1969 Programs: "Mozart und die Marionetten von Salzburg" 23 11 circa 1971 Programs: Państwowy Teatr Lalka "Pinokio" 23 12 1968 Programs: Puppetropolis: International Puppet Pageant 23 13 2001 Programs: Royal European Marionette Theatre presents "Hansel & Gretel" 23 14 1967 Programs: La Salle and Koch's Marionette Show "From Cave to Kelvinator" 23 15 1930s Programs: Salzburg Marionette Theatre 23 16 1952 December 5 Programs: Salzburg Marionette Theatre 23 17 circa 1954 Programs: Schwartz (Bruce D.) in "The Rat of Huge Proportions and other Works" 23 18 1980-1981 Programs: Sid and Marty Kroff's Les Poupees de Paris 1 12 1964 April Programs: State Central Puppet Theatre presents "An Unusual Concert: A Satirical Parody in Two Parts" 23 19 circa 1969 Programs: Synapse presents "Animal Farm: The Puppet Musical" 23 20 2005 Programs: Théâtre du Soleil "Tambours Sur La Digue" 23 21 1999 Programs: Théâtre sans fil presents "The Hobbit" 23 22 1997 Programs: Tony Sarg's Marionettes in "Don Quixote" 23 23 1920s Programs: Tony Sarg's Marionettes in "The Rose and the Ring" 23 24 circa 1920 Programs: Tony Sarg's Marionettes at The Playhouse 1 13 circa 1923 Programs: "Tony Sarg's Marionettes under the auspices of Columbus Wellesley College Club" 23 25 1923 February 2-3 Programs: Turnabout Theatre presents "A Repertory of Puppet Musical Comedies and Intimate Revues" 23 26 circa 1954 Programs: "Umarła Klasa" or "The Dead Class: Dramatic Seance of Tadeusz Kantor" 2 3 1975 Mostly Polish, some English Programs: Vitucci (Susan J.) "Love's Fowl" 23 27 1998 June 9 Programs: Wakka Wakka and Nordland Visual Theatre present "Baby Universe: A Puppet Odyssey" 23 28 2010 December-2011 January Programs: The Yale Puppeteers and The Turnabout revues 23 29 1945 February Promotional Materials: In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre TRI Shared 3 3 2002-2003 Promotional Materials: Puppeteers of America 1 14 1950s Publications: Focus Vol. 1, No. 1 TRI Shared 3 4 1938 April Publications: "The Linking Ring" Vol. 25, No. 1 23 33 1945 March Publications: "Turnabout" Vol. IV, No. 2 23 30 1944 October Publications: "Turnabout" Vol. IV, No. 3 23 31 1944 December Publications: "Turnabout" Vol. IV, No. 4 23 32 1945 February Rod puppet: Wood painted blue face with textile skirt on black circle base with green and gold textile 18 4 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Rod puppet: Wood painted gold body white face with textile dress on black circle base 17 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Rod puppet: Wood painted gold body white face with textile dress on black circle base Ukuran nama tag 17 4 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Rod puppet: Wood painted white body with textile dress on brown circle base with gold textile in plastic encasement 17 1, 5 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Rod puppet: Wood painted white face with gold, beading, textile skirt, and wood hand controllers 13 3-4 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Rod puppet: Wood painted white face with textile skirt on black circle base with black and gold textile in plastic encasement 18 5 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Script: "Amusing Punch and Judy Theatre" 1 15 undated Scroll calendar: In Javanese with shadow puppet images 11 2 2014 Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Shadow puppet: Leather painted black body attached to blue felt "Wayang Rama" with note on back 12 1 2009 October 26 Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Shadow puppet: Leather painted black body with multi-color headdress and tan hand controllers approximately 30"X9" 14 1 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Shadow puppet: Leather painted gold body black face maroon dress "Dewi Shinta" and black hand controllers taped together approximately 12.5"X4" 13 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Shadow puppet: Leather painted gold body blue face and black hand controllers approximately 17"X6" 13 1 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Shadow puppet: Leather painted gold body green shirt with multi-color headdress and black hand controllers approximately 22"X8.5" 14 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Shadow puppet: Leather painted gold body with black face, Bimo written near feet and tan hand controllers approximately 37"X19" 9 1 circa 1980s-1910s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Shadow puppet: Leather painted gold body with multi-color headdress and black hand controllers approximately 19"X6" 9 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Shadow puppet: Leather painted gold body with multi-color headdress and no hand controllers approximately 9"X4.5" 9 3 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Stand: For wood carving with 3 dragon figures and 1 person with a headdress 20 1 circa 1980s-2010s Statue: Wood headdress for statue painted black, white, gold, and red figure standing on a black circle base, with wings 18 3 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Statue: Wood painted black 2 heads with headdresses 15 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Statue: Wood painted black white gold red figure standing on a black circle base, with wings 18 1 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Statue: Wood (right) wing for statue painted black, white, gold, and red figure standing on a black circle base, with wings 18 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Statue: Wood 2 people with headdresses 17 3 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Teaching Materials: Puppet teaching news bulletins 1 17 1938-1939 Textile: Black and gold wall hanging 1 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Textile: Black and gold wall hanging with shadow puppet images 2 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Textile: Red and gold attached to cardboard 19 1 2008 Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Textile: Yellow and cream wall hanging with black shadow puppet images 14 3 circa 1980s-2010s Scope and Contents

Item is of Indonesian origin.

 Thumb push puppet: Howdy Doody with NBC microphone 22 circa 1949 Trade Cards: Puppetry 1 18 undated Woodblock Print: Bread and Puppet Theatre "Children" 6 2 undated Woodblock Print: Bread and Puppet Theatre "Wake Up" 6 1 undated Working Script: Kasperl's Fugum Die Welt 1 19 circa 1875 Accession No. TRI.2021.0016 1.988 Cubic feet circa 1910s, 1950s-2017 (2) oversize flat boxes; (1) 2.5" letter document box Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains VHS videocassettes.

 Scope and Contents

Accession No. TRI.2021.0016 contains three Kathputli marionettes, an unidentified marionette, and a Turkish shadow puppet. Also included are promotional ephemera and season schedules for puppet theater companies, mostly for Bread and Puppet Theatre in Vermont, and two VHS videorecordings of puppet performances. Materials are dated circa 1910s, 1950s-2017.

 "Trilogy" program Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 2006 March 16-April 2 Bread and Puppet Theatre fliers, programs, postcards Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 1984-1998 La Compagnia dei Pupari Vaccaro Mauceri season schedule Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 2017 Bread and Puppet Theatre "The Necessity of Anarchy" article by David Dudley Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 2013 December Horse and Bamboo Theatre training and workshop programme Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 2005 In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre season program Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 2005 Blair Thomas and Co. Chamber Puppet Theater press packet Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 2004 Bread & Puppet "Gates of Hell" pageant performance videorecording Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 1998 August Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements VHS videocassette; approximate run time: 40:00 minutes Blair Thomas & Co. "Promo Piece," "The Puppet Show of Don Cristobal," and "Buster Keaton's Stroll" videorecording Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.001 circa 2004 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements VHS videocassette; approximate run time: 65:00 minutes Marionette with straw hat and gun Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.002 1950s-1990s Kathputli marionette with four faces Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.002 circa 1910s Karagöz Turkish shadow puppet Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.002 circa 1980s Kathputli marionette with hat and purple dress Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.003 circa 1910s Kathputli marionette with instrument Accession No. TRI.2021.0016.003 circa 1910s Accession No. TRI.2025.0006 2.45 Cubic feet 1900s-1920s (1) costume box Scope and Contents

Accession No. TRI.2025.0006 consists of a Matsuomaru Karakuri Ningyo bunraku puppet head with a display case stand and a second separate bamboo stand. Bunraku is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre founded in Osaka, Japan in the beginning of the 17th century; the majority of bunraku puppets require 3 puppeteers to properly operate. Puppeteers can use strings attached to puppet heads to perform tricks such as moving eyes, slipping masks over the puppet's face, or revealing an entirely different facial expression. Matsuomaru is a traditional samurai lead character from several bunraku puppetry plays; a bunraku puppeteer can use this particular head to perform 4 tricks with the eyes, 12 with the eyebrows, and 7 nodding tricks.

 Matsuomaru Karakuri Ningyo bunraku puppet head Accession No. TRI.2025.0006.001 1900s-1920s Accession No. TRI.2025.0007 0.25 Cubic feet 1939-1960s, 1999-2024 (1) 2.5" legal document box Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains a DVD.

 Scope and Contents

Accession No. TRI.2025.0007 consists of programs, photographs, an audiovisual recording on DVD, and a magazine publication related to puppeteers, puppet performances, and puppet theater companies. Materials date to the 1939-1960s, and 1999-2024.

 Arcade card: Burr Tillstrom Accession No. TRI.2025.0007.001 1940s DVD: Actors Theatre Columbus "As You Like It" with puppets Accession No. TRI.2025.0007.001 2009 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements DVD; color; sound; approximate run time: unknown Photograph: Topo Gigio Accession No. TRI.2025.0007.001 1960s Programs: Bread and Puppet Theatre in "The Hope Principle Show" Accession No. TRI.2025.0007.001 2024 Programs: New York World's Fair "Puppet World" Accession No. TRI.2025.0007.001 1939 Programs: Wexner Center for the Arts presents "Shockheaded Peter: A Junk Opera" Accession No. TRI.2025.0007.001 1999 September 22-26 Publications: Lincoln Center Theater Review no. 55, "War Horse" Accession No. TRI.2025.0007.001 2011