WHAT: An original production Howdy Doody marionette associated with the 1950s TV show featuring the red-haired figure sold for $15,860 recently in an antique toy auction at Pook & Pook.
While it is an original production doll made for the show, this marionette was not used on screen but is identical to filmed versions. All were built by the show’s prop man.
MORE: This Howdy was first handed to a production engineer in the 1950s. He was given the doll for an experiment, to electrify it so it could move with radio controls.
Howdy’s hands and boots are thought to have been made by Velma Dawson, the puppet maker who created and crafted the first Howdy Doody. Clothing dates from the 1970s when the doll toured college campuses.
SMART COLLECTORS KNOW: Many collectors of a certain age have warm memories of Howdy Doody. The first generation to grow up with television in the home, many recall running home after school for a snack enjoyed while watching “The Howdy Doody Show.” As today’s cohort with disposable income, they go for anything Howdy related, from pinback buttons to actual show props.
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HOT TIP: The pairing of respected antique toy specialist Noel Barrett and an established auction house is a win-win for all concerned. Pook (pronounced “Puck,” as in hockey puck) has a bricks-and-mortar presence; Barrett, whom many have seen on PBS’ “Antiques Roadshow,” brings unbeatable antique toys to the mix.
BOTTOM LINE: Many versions of the Howdy Doody marionette have come to sale or have been sold. Some are copies and others are outright fakes, albeit old. Serious collectors hunt for marionettes with a direct link to early years of the TV show and Howdy’s origins.