Glove puppet in the form of a human and tiger hybrid creature, possibly a deity. White ceramic painted face and headdress. Face is decorated with black stripes against a pale orange background, with a red painted mouth and two large upper fangs, green painted eyes and with long green nylon hair. Headdress has painted skull at the front and three raised protrusions to the rear. A gold scalloped band surrounds the headdress, ending in upward curves at the front. The headdress is white, green and gold. Body consists of an empty white textile shirt. The costume is a red textile, possibly silk, robe edged with white textile borders decorated with yellow and green textile fringes. The robe is decorated with general patterns formed by patches of white and green textile and metallic beads and thread. The legs are formed of white fabric stuffed with padding, ending with a wooden boot with white raised sole. From a Chinese minority ethnic group.
This puppet was purchased by Anthony Shelton from a U.S. dealer for $475. There was no information with it other than that it was thought to have been made in the 1940s or 1950s. It came with four other puppets in a set.
