Marvelous Antique Folk Art Painted Wooden Marionette matador it's about 18 1/2" long

it's about 18 1/2" long

and the little ones are each  approx

Certainly they bear a very strong resemblance to the animals of Swiss toy designer and maker Antonio Vitali (who also designed many toys produced by Creative Playthings)

In addition to being simply gorgeous

snake-like handle is a drafting  brush

Marvelous Antique Folk Art Painted Wooden Marionette matador it's about 18 1/2" longThis marionette ranks among my favorite finds ever, and feels a lot like my favorite sort of 19th century naive schoolgirl watercolor come to life! And look at those unmatched socks, one gray and one yellow, with black painted shoes that just peek out below the belly of the mule (I assume) on the reverse side. The manner of the figure, and face particularly, makes me think late 19th century or so, and it seems possible the figure (which I first took