Hand-Painted Papier-Mâché Circus Clown Hanging Mobile A strange vintage papier-mâché clown caught forever in the middle of a parachute descent. This hand made figure is intended as a hanging mobile rather than a conventional puppet. The cords hold the clown beneath the canopy and allow the figure to shift gently when moved or caught by air.
Papier-mâché has long been used for lightweight toys, puppets, dolls and festival figures because it permits large, expressive forms without the weight of carved wood or ceramic.
Parachuting acts became popular circus spectacles in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when performers descended from balloons using early parachutes. Clowns later turned the idea into comedy, converting the terrifying possibility of a failed landing into part of the joke.
Details
Date: Vintage, likely circa 1940s–1960s
Material: Papier-mâché or composition over a lightweight internal framework, paint, cord and wire
Decoration: Hand-painted clown and parachute canopy
Features: Fully suspended hanging construction
Dimensions: Clown figure approximately 13 in. tall; parachute approximately 7 in. high × 12 in. across; approximately 27–29 in. overall when fully suspended
Condition: Good vintage display condition with visible handmade irregularities, surface impressions, paint wear and age-related marks. The canopy edges and cord connections should be handled carefully. Please review all photographs.
