This is a Pinocchio marionette I bought from the international pavilion at the Canadian National Exhibition. It was a Palestinian handicraft, beautifully made. When I saw it, I just knew I had to add it to my collection. The controls are simple enough to master. Strings on the heels, hands, and shoulders are very symmetrical. The one on top of the head is a bit lopsided. I put together this video to show what I can do with it.
The have seen many other puppets during my travels. I have a snowman from a Quebec City doll maker. It is not as intricate, but it was my first purchase. There were shadow puppets in Xi'an, China. I would have bought one too, if it were not so fragile. I also converted a miniature dancing lion from Chinatown into a puppet, by adding wires and rods. Still, I would like to make one from scratch. It's why I love building paper models.
I should like to talk about paper automatons at another time.
