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  • Vintage Pelham Puppets Witch Marionette, British Made, Original Box, Circa 1962 1
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  • Vintage Pelham Puppets Witch Marionette, British Made, Original Box, Circa 1962 2
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  • Vintage Pelham Puppets Witch Marionette, British Made, Original Box, Circa 1962 3
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  • Vintage Pelham Puppets Witch Marionette, British Made, Original Box, Circa 1962 4
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  • Vintage Pelham Puppets Witch Marionette, British Made, Original Box, Circa 1962 5
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  • Vintage Pelham Puppets Witch Marionette, British Made, Original Box, Circa 1962 6
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  • Vintage Pelham Puppets Witch Marionette, British Made, Original Box, Circa 1962 7
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Description

Bob Pelham, born in 1919, was nicknamed "The Wonky Donkey Officer" when he served in the Second World War because he mde little wooden toy donkeys to amuse the men. After the war, he expanded his range and made other toy animals too, all formed from carved and painted pieces of wood held together with string to give them articulated joints - he called these Waloukas. In 1947 he decided to turn his hobby into a profession and established Wonky Toys Ltd. at Marlborough in Wiltshire, soon also adding marionettes to the range. Before long, the marionettes became the company's best-selling line and the company rebranded as Pelham Puppets.

The company produced several ranges of marionettes including the SM range which, with moving mouths like this witch, were considerably more "professional" in appearance than the more "toylike" cheaper models; they also made marionettes for live performances and television - the reason I love this witch so much is she reminds me of characters in children's TV programmes when I was a kid.

There are no clues as to when the witch was made on the marionette, but I believe she dates to 1962 based on the design of the box - among the various other marionettes shown on the printed yellow upper is a snake charmer which, I believe, replaced the Mad Hatter shown on the boxes before that year, but not the Three Bears who were added in 1963. Either way, she was definitely made prior to 1968, when a new box with a cellophane window was introduced.

She's in excellent condition with surprisingly unmarked paintwork considering her age. Her face (which is pink rather than green like the cheaper SL witch) with rosy cheeks and a red-tipped nose; she has crooked, peg-like teeth and both a moustache and beard but apparently she still takes some pride in her appearance because she's wearing bright red lipstick and has rather glamorous eye make-up. Her hair is blonde and tangled; she wears black shoes, a black dress, a blue polka-dot apron and - of course - a pointy black hat. All of her clothes are in similarly excellent condition, as is her broomstick. The control bars are also in good order but have what is probably a non-original hook added so that she can be easily displayed; the strings, which are different colours so that the marionettist can instantly see which one controls which part, are all in good order.

The box is a little faded and marked, has some scuffs round the edges and the end panels are a little damaged where tape has been removed; at some point a previous owner named Hayley wrote her name in pink ink on the cover. However, there are no rips, split seams or water damage, and I imagine there aren't many better examples. The instructions are missing.

Dimensions: the witch stands 34cm (13.5") tall; total length included strings and bars is approximately 65cm (24.5").

Due to the nature of this item it is not always possible for us to identify any missing parts.
For this reason we ask that you please check the pictures carefully, as these show everything that is included.

This item has been very kindly donated to the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

Arthur Rank Hospice supports people in Cambridgeshire living with a life-limiting illness and those who need end-of-life care. Our services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. Our aim is to provide the highest quality care, helping them to make every moment count.

100% of the money raised from this sale will go to the charity.

Our sales team do their best to check each item and ensure that the description and pictures provided are as accurate as possible.

Feedback is extremely important to the charity so if you are not fully satisfied with your purchase please give us a chance to resolve any issues by contacting us prior to leaving feedback.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us via eBay messages, we will make sure that your message is responded to promptly, usually within three working days. Messages sent over the weekend will be responded to on the next working day.

If this item is not quite what you were looking for but you would still like to help our cause, please consider providing us with a donation which can be done via our eBay Charity Profile linked below.

Donate via Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Profile

We only accept payments via PayPal for items sold through eBay, or cash and credit/debit card if the item is to be collected. If paying via PayPal, please make sure to complete your payment within 96 hours of winning an item. Once your payment has been received we will dispatch your item as soon as possible, usually within three working days.

Delivery times are calculated in working days (Monday to Friday). If your order is placed after 1pm, the next working day will be considered the first working day for delivery. In case of bank holidays and during the Christmas period where delays are more likely, please allow an extra few days for delivery.

Domestic Delivery

We aim to dispatch orders within three working days. If for any reason there is an unexpected delay in dispatching your order we will make sure to inform you of this as soon as possible.

We use Hermes to deliver the majority of our parcels. If you would like to specify a preferred neighbour, or safe place for the parcel to be left, please leave the details in a message when placing your order.

Some low-value items will be sent by Royal Mail 2nd Class. Some items of higher value are sent by Royal Mail Signed For or Special Delivery, which requires a signature. If you are not present at the time of delivery, a card will be left instructing you to arrange a redelivery, or to collect your order from the local sorting office.

International Delivery

International orders are handled by eBay's Global Shipping Programme.

For full details please see the following eBay help page: Buying internationally with the Global Shipping Programme.

Items can be collected from our Retail Hub at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, Eastern Counties Leather Industrial Estate, Pampisford, CB22 3EE during our opening hours of 10:00 to 16:00, Monday to Saturday. If you would like to collect your item please contact us in advance to arrange this.

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Arthur Rank Hospice Charity uses the eBay Returns system to make the process as easy for you as possible. For full details about the process, and for information on how to begin a return, please see the following eBay help page: Return an item for a refund.

Change of Mind

If when you receive your order you are not completely satisfied, you may return the items to us within 30 days for a refund. Returns will be processed within three working days once the goods have been received by us.

Items must be returned to us in the same condition as they were received by you. This includes, but is not limited to: original packaging, original boxes, packaging materials, manuals, blank warranty cards, accessories and documents. We reserve the right to refuse a return or deduct an amount for lost value where the item is returned in a different condition.

We strongly recommend that you fully insure your package that you are returning, as well as using a carrier that can provide you with tracking information or proof of delivery.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will not be held responsible for returns lost or damaged in transit.

Please be aware that it is the responsibility of the customer to cover any delivery charges for returning an unwanted item.

Incorrect/Damaged Goods

We try very hard to ensure that you receive your order in pristine condition. In the unlikely event that your order arrives damaged or faulty, please contact us via eBay immediately, this will be given special priority and you can expect to receive a response within 48 hours, Monday to Friday. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity will cover the cost of domestic return postage for any incorrect or damaged items.

About Arthur Rank Hospice Charity

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity supports people in Cambridgeshire living with an advanced serious illness or other life-limiting condition and those who need end-of-life care. Its 'Outstanding' services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. The aim is to provide the highest quality care, helping them to make every moment count.

More than 4,100 patients are cared for each year at the Hospice in Cambridge, the Alan Hudson Day Treatment Centre in Wisbech and in patients' own homes via the Arthur Rank Community Team. This care supports people to improve their quality of life and fulfil their end of their life choices.

Alongside the care provided by the Inpatient Unit, Day Therapy and Hospice at Home teams, patients can access: patient and family support; lymphoedema care; complementary therapy; medical and pain outpatient clinics; and advice from the clinical nurse specialists within the Specialist Palliative Care Home Team. Programmes are practical, holistic and tailored to the individual patient, family member or carer and may also include rehabilitative support, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological support.

It will cost £8.56 million in 2020/2021 to run services, which are provided free of charge to patients and their loved ones. £4.29 million has currently been secured from the NHS, meaning that £4.27 million needs to be raised through donations, fundraising activities and trading. The Charity is extremely grateful to the local community for the continual dedication, commitment and generosity they show in supporting towards meeting this target.