Punch bank produced by Brannam of Devon, England, circa 1920. "Punch and Judy" is a popular British glove-puppet show for children, featuring Mr. Punch and his wife, Judy. The puppet plays were introduced into England from the continent in the seventeenth century. Punch, a hunchback with a hooked nose, strangles his baby, whereupon his wife, Judy, hits him with a bludgeon until he retaliates and beats her to death, then flings the two bodies into the street. A policeman, doctor, priest and hangman are introduced to the plot for Punch to beat and kill. At the end of the show he either defeats the devil or is swallowed by a crocodile-like creature, providing a moral ending. The show is traditionally performed by a single puppeteer, known as a professor, who, of course, can only perform two characters at a time.
Maker:
Brannam
England
circa 1920
Model #:
Derivative
bank
Size:
medium
Height:
3 1/2"
