#mechanical puppet

SkekLach the Collector - Mechanical Puppet Hands - Jim Henson Company 70th Anniversary Auction on Julien's Auctions, sold for $2,240 - Lot 101

"A pair of mechanical puppet hands for the Skeksis, skekLach the Collector (performed by Helena Smee and voiced by Awkwafina) from the prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, 2019).

These hands are comprised of foam latex with a three finger handle. The handle contains pulleys and triggers for the fingers, allowing each of them to control an aspect of the hands' motions. The thumb trigger activates the hands' wrists, with the other two triggers controlling the other fingers in the hands. A piece of tape with handwriting that reads, "COLLECTOR," on one side is present on the handle of each hand. The hands of all of the Skeksis puppets were detachable at the elbow in order to switch between armature hands and mechanical hands.

Dimensions: Approx: 6 x 1.75 x 21.5 inches, each"

Hero Thrushpog RC Puppet - Jim Henson Company 70th Anniversary Auction on Julien's Auctions, sold for $8,960 - Lot 199

"The hero, fully animatronic, radio-controlled Thrushpog puppet as seen in the third episode of the prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, 2019), entitled, "What Was Sundered and Undone." 

Built in England by the Animatronic and Creature Department for the series, this fully animatronic puppet is housed in a rubber latex shell with a poly-foam interior. The body of the puppet itself is a vacuform plastic shell covered in green-dyed textured fabric. Its head is silicone, with animatronic mouth and petals. A series of electrical wiring is still connected to the base of the shell. No electrical capabilities have been tested and the puppet should be presumed to be non-functional. Built into the interior of the body shell is a series of LED lights that go all the way up the neck of the puppet. In the episode, these lights illuminated after Deet (performed by Beccy Henderson and voiced by Nathalie Emmanuel) feeds the Thrushpog some Glow Moss, causing the inside of the Thrushpog (and all the other Thrushpogs around) to light up.

Dimensions: Overall: 17.75 x 12 x 17 inches"

SkekGra the Heretic - Skeksis Animatronic Head - Jim Henson Company 70th Anniversary Auction on Julien's Auctions, sold for $12,800 - Lot 99

“An original animatronic puppet head for the banished and absent-minded Skeksis, skekGra the Heretic (performed by Damian Farrell and voiced by Andy Samberg), from the prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, 2019). Head sculpted by Miles Teves.

Two types of heads were created for each of the Skeksis puppets in the series – a hand puppet and an animatronic puppet. The animatronic heads were used during full-body shots of the Skeksis puppets, where the puppeteers inside would have to puppeteer both hands of the Skeksis, leaving the head to be puppeteered via remote control. In close up shots, the Skeksis heads would be hand puppets for puppeteers.

This head is comprised of carved and hand-painted foam latex with cast resin teeth, foam latex tongue, and resin "nail" protruding from the top of the head with a carved mystical insignia at the top. Each strand of hair on the head was hand-punched by fabricators from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. A strand of thick lace is present at The Chamberlain's neck. Below the neck is the animatronics system - a collection of electrical wiring and servos that controlled the head via remote control. At the base of the animatronics is a metal bar with two open latches, which would lock into place with the circular metal collar around the neck of the Skeksis' puppet body.

The Heretic is one of the Skeksis characters created originally for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. He plays an important role in the series as he reveals the secret history of Thra and the Crystal of Truth to the show's heroes. The Heretic resides at the Circle of the Suns along with his urRu counterpart, urGoh (performed by Olly Taylor and voiced by Bill Hader). The two of them forged the Dual Glaive with the Crystal Shard and created the rock creature, Lore, after consuming a large amount of hallucinogenic urdrupe berries. skekGra and urRu were said to have been inspired by the main characters in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

This head comes mounted on a stand custom-built by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, featuring an identifying emblem.

Dimensions: Overall: 22.5 x 18 x 22 inches”