Pelham Puppets Collectors Series

In 1983 Pelham Puppets introduced a special Limited Edition series of Puppets that they called the Collectors Series. They were all sold in a dark blue classy looking box.

The first introduced were Henry VIII and his wives. The sales leaflet produced at the time said "A Limited World Wide Edition of 1000 sets of Collectors Marionetts produced only in 1983". It was proposed that they only be produced in that year, however sets were in production from July 1983 until March 1986.

All 1000 set were never produced and from production records only 424 sets were every produced. Each box came with a signed certificate and each one was numbered on a label sewn into the under garments. Complete sets all of the same number are difficult to find as some sets may have been mixed during dispatch or at sales outlets

Click Here to see a graph of production of these sets.
Click Here to see the sales leaflet produced at the time

In 1984 Pelham produced 2 more in the series, this time they were Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket.

Each puppet featured a hardwood base with a metal rod that bent above the puppet. A small hardwood control was connected to the rod and the puppet hung on short black strings.

The Pinocchio was interesting as its head was almost a copy of the 1961 version of the puppet.

Although the collectors series was a great idea and in todays collecting mad world these type of things sell well. Pelham was ahead of its time and the market was not ready for puppets that were just for show.

These puppets often appear for sale on ebay.

Known charactures include

King Henry VIII Catherine of Aragon Catherine Parr Jane Seymore Anne of Cleeves Catherine Howard Anne Boleyn Jiminy Cricket Pinocchio Rupert Bear (White faced) Micky Mouse Minnie Mouse Pluto Donald Duck Daisey Duck Scott (Thunderbirds) Virgil (Thunderbirds) Brains (Thunderbirds)