Female Hand Puppet by Bil Baird

Female Hand Puppet by Bil Baird

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Description (Brief)
This hand puppet is one of a group of characters Bil Baird created for Miquel Varell. An early example of Baird's work, this female character has no body and is plainly dressed in a pseudo-long sleeve blue and plaid dress with hands made of cloth. Her head and face have only minimal carving while her hair and facial features are accentuated with paint.
Originally from Budapest, Hungary, Miquel Varell immigrated to the United States after World War I in search of a better life. Despite a lack of any formal training in the theater, Varell's lifelong love of puppetry inspired him to establish a puppet company based on a European style Grand Guignol, or Punch and Judy, traveling show. But Varell needed someone to create the puppets based on his own specifications. He approached Tony Sarg, his friend and well known puppeteer, to find someone who could create the puppets according to his specifications. Sarg recommended his young apprentice, Bil Baird, to create the puppets for Varell's theater.
Using the puppets provided by Baird, Varell constructed his own portable theater, including stage sets and backgrounds, and performed at schools, clubs, and children's parties. Sadly, his career was short lived. The European style of puppetry, based on expression and moment, was replaced with talking puppets, and Varell spoke only broken English.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
puppet
Date made
1927 - 1928
user
Varell, Miquel V.
maker
Baird, Bill
place made
United States: New York, New York City
Associated Place
United States: New York, New York
Physical Description
wood (overall material)
fabric (overall material)
metal (overall material)
paint (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 50 cm x 30 cm; 19 11/16 in x 11 13/16 in
ID Number
1993.0168.07
accession number
1993.0168
catalog number
1993.0168.07
Credit Line
Gift of Lia V. Dingfelder
subject
Puppetry
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
Puppets
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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