Burmese Marionette Puppet Head Antique 1890-1900 Animated Eyes And Mouth

Description

Antique 19th Century Burmese Marionette Puppet Doll Head Animated Eyes And Mouth.
This doll head is believed to be from the late 19th century, and made in Burma now modern Myanmar. It is carved from wood, most likely yamame wood. The eyes are made of glass. The eyes and mouth are animated, however the string has become detached. The string is inside the head and with care can be reattached to manually open and close both eye lids and mouth. There is wear and damage to the hat due to age.
It has been museum mounted on a stand and has stickers on it that translate from Bengali to “What is it?” This curious treasure has clearly traveled the world. What a rare find to bring home. Please see all photos. Item sold as is. Items are researched as much as possible to provide accurate information. Please contact us with any questions.
Burmese puppet shows, or Yoke thé, were a popular entertainment under the Burmese monarchy, and possibly date back to the Pagan kingdom of the 11th century. Historical sources show that puppet plays have certainly been performed since the early 15th century, and rapidly grew in prestige and popularity in the 17th century. By the 18th century, puppet shows were common in ordinary Burmese circles, and were seen as a means of educating people in history, religion, culture and everyday life. At court, puppet shows were patronized by the Burmese kings, and the Thabin-wun (Minister for the performing arts) was in charge of performances. Burmese marionettes are very intricate and their use requires dexterous skills, as they employ 18 or 19 wires for male and female characters respectively, and each puppet is controlled by only one puppeteer. Yoke thé are almost always performed in the form of Burmese operas.
The head (minus hat) measures approximately 5” tall by 4” wide. The stand with head measures approximately 11.5” tall.