Above: New felt hat, hair and face paint hiding the wear and tear of the original aged puppet shown in it's auction lot.
Above: Same puppet but with a new top and restored face paint.
Better before or restored? This little puppet had sold twice before by sellers with the original top, but was replaced for the latest sale as it had moth damage on the reverse.
Better before or restored? This little puppet had sold twice before by sellers with the original top, but was replaced for the latest sale as it had moth damage on the reverse.
When does the restoration take the puppet from Pelham to redressed Pelham?
When a new jacket is made from fabric that was never Pelham material, the puppet starts to move away from original Pelham brand even further. When does it become a problem?
How far from the original puppet does it have to be to become a problem for the collector?
Is it the new felt tongue? Probably not.
Is it the new felt hat? Maybe.
Is it a new felt hat, new sheepskin fur beards and sideburns plus a new jacket? Surely.
So, we thought we'd give a few pointers to help you decide if the puppet you are looking at has been repainted and redressed and whether it actually matters is your decision.
You may be happy with the item you have bought and are not thinking of selling at any time, but it's worth having the knowledge so you can decide if you want to spend more on an item that actually isn't as original as you had thought.
Do we consider an altered puppet to still be a Pelham Puppet? It started life at the Pelham factory and was painted by Pelham artists. Once it has been altered, sometimes to such an extent that the item has mixed parts from different puppets, it isn't authentic any longer and loses its value as an original item of the period.
Some ageing and patina is inevitable and should be considered as normal. Buying an item that may be 70 years old, it isn't going to look new and if it does, take a look at it in detail.
To help you to look out for this, we have a check list of very normal ageing signs.
And finally...
Being as informed as you can be about the originality of your puppet will give you the confidence to know what you have in your collection.
When a new jacket is made from fabric that was never Pelham material, the puppet starts to move away from original Pelham brand even further. When does it become a problem?
How far from the original puppet does it have to be to become a problem for the collector?
Is it the new felt tongue? Probably not.
Is it the new felt hat? Maybe.
Is it a new felt hat, new sheepskin fur beards and sideburns plus a new jacket? Surely.
So, we thought we'd give a few pointers to help you decide if the puppet you are looking at has been repainted and redressed and whether it actually matters is your decision.
You may be happy with the item you have bought and are not thinking of selling at any time, but it's worth having the knowledge so you can decide if you want to spend more on an item that actually isn't as original as you had thought.
Do we consider an altered puppet to still be a Pelham Puppet? It started life at the Pelham factory and was painted by Pelham artists. Once it has been altered, sometimes to such an extent that the item has mixed parts from different puppets, it isn't authentic any longer and loses its value as an original item of the period.
Some ageing and patina is inevitable and should be considered as normal. Buying an item that may be 70 years old, it isn't going to look new and if it does, take a look at it in detail.
To help you to look out for this, we have a check list of very normal ageing signs.
- Moth damage to felt parts and fabrics. This may be very minor or more excessive.
- Rusting marks especially at shoulder joints.
- Fabric ageing, fading, holes, foxing.
- Bamboo limbs generally have paint loss due to the paint not adhering well to the surface.
- Wooden shoes sometimes have a little wear at the edges.
- Paint loss to the metal pin nose is expected over the years. The bulbous eyes of Mr Turnip, Big ears and Noddy for example are prone to paint loss.
And finally...
- Is the cut of the costume right? This needs a trained eye. It is quite easy to buy vintage fabrics nowadays and with a sewing machine a new costume can be quickly made with little effort. To the untrained eye it may not immediately be obvious that, for example, a Prince Charming jacket has been made from a new fabric not of the period. Colours are often a give away.
Being as informed as you can be about the originality of your puppet will give you the confidence to know what you have in your collection.
The puppet below sold a year or so ago in it's original yellow box and is now being offered for sale in a brown box. We are happy for boxes to be changed if there is a good reason.
Below are two redressed Pelham Puppets, cleverly imagined and beautifully executed. These puppets sell well and will hold their value as the items they are.The seller here always sells as redressed and they are a treasure for the future.
Whatever your thoughts on restoration, being aware of the amount of work done on the puppet will help you decide if you would rather wait for a very good condition all original Pelham Puppet.
We are in a privileged position to be able to compare the before and after images of many of the puppets being sold which is how we are 100% sure of the claims we make. An example of an Ugly Sister sold at auction with her face damaged and nose off, the puppet soon came on ebay fully restored and repainted with no disclosure of the work done. Sometimes collectors are quite disturbed by the deceit some sellers will try for a sale and have asked me to write this little piece to warn other buyers who may not have been so aware.
So, please do enjoy your purchases and expect some wear and tear, they can't be mint or new looking as they have been stored and will always have some ageing.
We are in a privileged position to be able to compare the before and after images of many of the puppets being sold which is how we are 100% sure of the claims we make. An example of an Ugly Sister sold at auction with her face damaged and nose off, the puppet soon came on ebay fully restored and repainted with no disclosure of the work done. Sometimes collectors are quite disturbed by the deceit some sellers will try for a sale and have asked me to write this little piece to warn other buyers who may not have been so aware.
So, please do enjoy your purchases and expect some wear and tear, they can't be mint or new looking as they have been stored and will always have some ageing.
