#puppet auction

UrZah's Coat - Sold on Propstore.com, April 29th, 2021

"A Mystic coat from Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s 1982 dark fantasy The Dark Crystal.

The urRu, more commonly known as Mystics, wore long, ornately decorated coats throughout the film. The coat has been intentionally distressed to appear well-worn, stained and dirty, and matches one seen on screen through this wear. The coat features sections of rope, clumps of straw and other ornaments attached to each side for decoration.

The underneath features sections of Velcro® and metal poppers to affix the coat to the Mystic puppet, as well as handwritten labels reading ‘His Right’ and ‘His Left’.

The coat remains in excellent, production-used and distressed condition.

Materials: Man-Made Woven Fibres, Straw, Resin, Ferrous Metals."

Overdressed Vapran Lady Puppet ("Betty Brillo") - Jim Henson Company 70th Anniversary Auction on Julien's Auctions, sold for $11,520 - Lot 129

"An Overdressed Vapran Lady puppet from the prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, 2019). She is a Gelfling from the Vapra clan and is seen in multiple episodes during scenes taking place in Ha'rar. This includes in the first episode, "End. Begin. All the Same," when she pushes Brea (performed by Alice Dinnean and voiced by Ana Taylor Joy) into the street right in front of the wheels of an incoming Skeksis carriage; and in the fifth episode, "She Knows All the Secrets," where Hup spots the Overdressed Lady speaking to a tailor and uses her as a distraction to steal some fancier clothing for Deet to wear. Puppet head sculpted by Chad Waters.

The puppet's head is made of sculpted and hand-painted foam latex with blonde and pink wig hair punched into it. Its elaborate gown is comprised of velvet and organza with a bubbled hemline that creates volume at the base. The gown also contains voluminous, mid-19th century inspired, mutton-style sleeves that come out from the shoulders and contain adhered velvet detailing. Two wired fixtures are affixed to the puppet's backside. Her hat is felted wool, painted linen, and tulle with painted velvet appliqué piece of fruit. Built inside of the puppet's head is a metal plate with two screws backed with magnets and affixed to the glass taxidermy eyes to allow the puppeteer to control the puppet's eyes. This metal plate also served as a resting place for the puppeteer's hand. A protective covering of either leather or another material was also built into the inner mouthpiece so the puppeteer's hand wouldn't sweat through. The body of the puppet is an articulated pod with foam arms with inner wooden dowels to create bone structures. The arms of the puppets were created to be foam latex up to the elbow and then have the ability to be Velcro'd on and off for easy replacement, as damage was a regular occurrence because of prop usage or rod replacement

Dimensions: Overall: 39 x 18.5 x 20 inches"

Dousan Sailor Gelfling Puppet - Jim Henson Company 70th Anniversary Auction on Julien's Auctions, sold for $22,400 - Lot 128

"A Dousan Sailor Gelfling puppet from the prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, 2019). She is seen in the seventh episode, "Time to Make... My Move," when skekMal the Hunter (performed by Kevin Clash and voiced by Ralph Ineson) comes upon a party of Dousans and intimidates them into telling him where Rian and company have gone. She is also seen again in the final episode of the series, "A Single Piece Was Lost," alongside the other members of the Dousan Clan who arrive in support of the rest of the Gelfling during the Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood. Puppet head sculpted by Mitch Devane.

The puppet's head is made of sculpted and foam latex hand-painted in striking blue and green tones with tribal markings, and with shimmering gray-blue yarn hair punched into it. Her costume is comprised of dupioni silk, appliqué, crisscrossing silk sash, layered peasant-style sleeves with linen underarm sleeve, and molded leather shoulder pads. Her headpiece is a mix of cotton, linen, and silk-blend braided together to create a turban. Throughout the ensemble are 3-D printed "bones" that symbolize the Dousan Clan's strong relationship with the circle of life and death.

Built inside of the puppet's head is a metal plate with two screws backed with magnets and affixed to the glass taxidermy eyes to allow the puppeteer to control the puppet's eyes. This metal plate also served as a resting place for the puppeteer's hand. A protective covering of either leather or another material was also built into the inner mouthpiece so the puppeteer's hand wouldn't sweat through. The body of the puppet is an articulated pod with foam arms with inner wooden dowels to create bone structures. The arms of the puppets were created to be foam latex up to the elbow and then have the ability to be Velcro'd on and off for easy replacement, as damage was a regular occurrence because of prop usage or rod replacement.

Dimensions: Overall: 37 x 17 x 13 inches"

The sale of the puppets does not mean we will never see another season; in fact, it’s the opposite. The Jim Henson Company made 2.6 Million Dollars from the 70th Anniversary Auction, that is how much they raked in from all the auctions, across all their franchises, and that’s 2.6 million dollars that can be put towards puppetry— and building new puppets.

The puppets and props sold are all replaceable, they are damaged or come from sets or characters who will no longer be appearing in the show.

The selection of puppets and props we saw auctioned is a good sign. This is a good thing. Instead of the puppets decaying even more in storage, they were sold to collectors and fellow fans— and now that money will surely be put towards making more art, perhaps even making more Age of Resistance?

Naia - Drenchen Gelfling Full-Body Puppet - Jim Henson Company 70th Anniversary Auction on Julien's Auctions, sold for $16,000 - Lot 108

"A full-body puppet of Naia (performed by Beccy Henderson and voiced by Hannah John-Kamen), a Gelfling of the Drenchen Clan, who serves as a major supporting character in the prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, 2019). Puppet sculpted by Matt Rose.

Naia enters the story after her twin brother, Gurjin, disappears. Unbeknownst to her, Gurjin allowed himself to be captured by the Skeksis in order for Rian to escape The Castle of the Crystal. When Naia finally tracks down Rian, she intends to kidnap him and exchange him to the Skeksis for Gurjin. Rian convinces Naia to dreamfast with him in order to show her what happened to Gurjin, which she reluctantly agrees to before ultimately believing him after she sees it for herself. Naia is able then to free Gurjin from The Castle of the Crystal, and they both dreamfast with Rian again. Only this time, they are all transported to the Dream Space by Aughra, along with other characters such as Brea and Deet. It is here that Aughra tasks them all with saving their dying world by fighting back against the Skeksis. Afterwards, Naia and Gurjin take it upon themselves to inform the other Gelfling clans of the need for fight and resistance. When Rian and company need reinforcements for the final showdown between the Skeksis in the Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood, all of the other clans appear to fight beside them, including Naia with other members of the Drenchen Clan.

This a full-body version of the Naia puppet, which includes her entire torso as well as a pair of legs. Like all Gelflings in the Drenchen clan, Naia features blue and green skin tones, identifiable bumps on her forehead, and fin-like scalloped ears. She is dressed in a wool hooded cloak with a painted Drenchen clan emblem on the back, which she is seen in her first appearance in the fourth episode of the series, “The First Thing I Remember is Fire.”

The puppet's head is made of sculpted and hand-painted foam latex with donated human hair punched into it. Its elaborate costume is comprised of a silk-blend, two-layered tunic with surface embroidery, metallic threading, beading, trim detail underneath, and belted with leather. The layers of the tunic are inner-padded for shaping. Its legs are covered in Jersey-style leggings and cotton socks that are painted. Built inside of the puppet's head is a metal plate with two screws backed with magnets and affixed to the glass taxidermy eyes. Naia's face was fully animatronic and controlled via remote control. The body of the puppet is an articulated pod with foam arms and legs with inner wooden dowels to create bone structures. The arms of the puppets were created to be foam latex up to the elbow and then have the ability to be Velcro'd on and off for easy replacement, as damage was a regular occurrence because of prop usage or rod replacement.

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

Sidetic Puppet in Cage - Jim Henson Company 70th Anniversary Auction on Julien's Auctions, sold for $10,240 - Lot 135

"A creature known as a "Sidetic," which is seen imprisoned in a cage in the Chamber of Life laboratory of skekTek the Scientist (performed by Olly Taylor and voiced by Mark Hamill) in the prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, 2019). The Sidetic is seen prominently in the fourth episode, "The First Thing I Remember is Fire," when skekSo the Emperor nearly kills it while it's in its cage. Afterwards, skekTek develops a fondness for the Sidetic and keeps it as his personal pet in his laboratory.

This Sidetic puppet is comprised of a foam latex body, resin beak, with hands, face, eyes, and feet composed of molded silicone. It is an animatronic puppet with simple mechanics inside that moved the head back and forth, and opened and closed the beak. The animatronic wires fed down through the body to a main support pole underneath. The nest of hay that the Sidetic resides on in its cage hides a base that held all of the animatronic and receiving equipment. The Sidetic's cage is custom-made of sticks and twigs tied and adhered together, with a metal ring present at its top. 

Dimensions: Overall: 23 x 18 x 18 inches"

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"

Thrushpog Hand-Controlled Puppet - Jim Henson Company 70th Anniversary Auction on Julien's Auctions, sold for $2,240 - Lot 112

"A hand-controlled, background 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 hand-controlled puppet is housed in a silicone outer shell with resin inner shell. The body of the puppet itself is a lower body vacuform plastic shell, while its upper body and neck are rubber latex, the entirety of which is covered in green-dyed textured fabric. Its head is silicone. The base of the puppet contains a metal rod with a FasTrax H1.5 handle, which controls the neck and body of the puppet, allowing it to look back and forth, as well as pull into and push out of its shell. This puppeteering component is still operational.

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.

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

Dimensions: Overall: 18 x 12 x 12 inches"