I concede that this post is only tangentially related to home décor but since my dearly departed Scottie dogs were named Punch and Judy I have a soft spot for anything relating to the centuries-old and highly collectible puppets.
Toronto’s A.H. Wilkens is auctioning a wide range of Punch and Judy memorabilia on Tuesday (February 14) ranging from a complete set of 1800s playing cards to figurines, mugs, door stops, books, decorative plates and an antique tea set. Many of the items are included in box lots and shouldn’t command especially high prices.
The collection was amassed by Jeff Essery, a retired CBC graphic designer and life-long puppeteer who performed Punch & Judy shows at summer festivals and parties. His stage and actual puppets have been donated to the Ontario Puppetry Association collection.
The world’s most famous puppets made their first appearance in England in the 1660s but stretch even further back to the commedia dell’arte tradition and the character Pulcinella.
Of course, there’s a range of other fine items in Wilkens’ Valentine’s Day sale ranging from Georgian to mid century furniture, but it’s the Punch and Judy stuff I’ll be watching with special interest.
February 15th, 2012 at 7:41 am
The tough thing about auctions is that unless you’ve got a whole day to fritter away you’re bound to lose out on something you’re interested in. Which is exactly what happened to me yesterday. The room was packed and bidding was lively but I ducked out to run a crucial errand and missed one of the items — a monumental ceramic lamp — I dearly wanted. And the Punch and Judy lots were grouped at the end of the sale when I was already on my way to my second job. Fortunately, I did triumph in bidding on two beautifully-carved Ganesha miniatures, which I’m hoping will bring me good luck in future endeavors. You win some, you lose some.