Punch and Judy two-sided teapot modeled by Anthony Cartlidge and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, in a 2003 Royal Doulton International Collectors Club limited edition of 1,000. "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. The portable stage the show is presented from is the handle of the teapot and the alligator is the spout.
Maker:
Royal Doulton
England
2003
Model #:
D7186
Derivative
RDICC
teapot
Size:
large
Height:
7 3/4"