This remarkable collection of puppets comes from the holdings of the renowned Birmingham-born puppet designer and maker John Blundall.

Among the works acquired by the Scottish Mask & Puppet Centre are four characters from a 1980s Cannon Hill Puppet Theatre production of The Snow Queen made by Blundall himself.

Also part of the acquisition are a number of historic items and puppets from around the world, including two Sri Lankan marionettes of a snake charmer and a hermit, a Russian hand puppet of Petrushka, two large Burmese animal puppets, and a Japanese marionette of Priestess Takeda.

Masks in the acquisition include a Noh mask of Okina (old man) and six masks from Bali.

The Scottish Mask & Puppet Centre is the only international centre dedicated to puppetry in the UK. It holds an extensive collection of puppets and related material, as well as housing a theatre, museum and education institute. This acquisition reflects Blundall’s strong connections to the centre, as well as to Glasgow, where he lived during his final years.


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