A selection of Pelham puppets
To be offered at auction in our General Sale Wednesday 17th October
Pelham puppets were wooden marionette English made puppets produced from 1947 by puppet maker Bob Pelham.
The company started under the name 'Wonky Toys Ltd' being the name given to Bob Pelham during his time serving in the Second World War. He was known as "The Wonky Donkey Officer" as he made small toy donkeys. Starting with "Waloukas" simple toys made from wood and string, Bob Pelham began creating marionettes to sell to Children. This was new in as much as previously marionettes had been made purely for professionals. In 1948 the business changed its name to Pelham Puppets and the rest as they say is History.
Based in first Wiltshire then Gloucestershire the business thrived until 1986 when Bob Pelham's wife Ann finally closed the business. The company was then given a breath of fresh air in 2008 when former employee David Leech began again producing puppets - new lines and ones emulating former styles.
