A Wonderful Mid 20th Ventriloquist’s Dummy Attributed to Leonard Insull

Origin: English
Period: Mid 20th Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1940-60
Height: 29 inches (at maximum)
Width (Shoulder to Shoulder): 10 inches
(all approximate)

The medium sized mid twentieth century period dummy of high build quality, with fully operating eyes, mouth in black dinner suit with white shirt and black bowtie, the head with short brown hair and the body constructed of a combination of paper maché, and plaster composition parts with lower limbs with fabric attachments with the hands painted in a light skin colour.

In good to very good overall original condition, there is only some small chipping to the face and wear commensurate with age elsewhere. The costume is all original to the dummy and although a bit dirty and tired it is in decent order.

John Leonard Insull (born 1883) was Britain's leading and most prolific ventriloquial figure maker of the twentieth century and between 1952 and 1974 he produced no less than 2017 pieces. He spent his early days in Wolverhampton and began his career as an apprentice to a joiner, however he soon developed a taste for magic and decided to go on stage under the name of Hinsle, the Comedy Illusionist. He was often assisted by his wife Gertie Rees, who did a clog dance; and eventually they toured the world together. Leonard Insull worked with his son (also named Leonard Insull) who specialized more in animated slot machines. The collaboration ended with the death of his son in 1957 aged 43.He created many hundreds of items for Davenports magic shop. Noted figures include Lord Charles for Ray Allen and Archie Andrews for Peter Brough which sold for £34,000 in 1999. Leonard Insull died in 1974.

The uncanny nature of ventriloquist’s dummies has enthralled and spooked people for decades, and they continue to feature in horror films to this day. The idea of the ghost in the inanimate object is not a new one, Freud has written at length on the subject in his discussions on the uncanny, and ghost stories have featured dolls and portraits coming to life for centuries.

Carmina Burana will be playing everywhere you walk.