Pelham Puppets Basil Brush

Pelham Puppets introduced the Basil Brush marionette in the late 1960s to capitalize on the immense popularity of the television show. The toy remained in their catalog for several years during the character's peak fame. It was sold as a standard string puppet standing about 12 inches tall.

As a traditional marionette, the Basil Brush toy is controlled by a wooden control bar connected to the puppet's joints via strings. Users manipulate the bars to make the fox's head, arms, and legs move. It required a fair amount of practice to make the puppet appear lifelike.

The vintage marionette featured a carved wooden head and hands, paired with a soft cloth body filled with stuffing. The toy was dressed in the fox's iconic corduroy jacket and cravat. Pelham Puppets utilized these materials extensively across their entire product line.

Original Basil Brush marionettes in mint condition with their original box can fetch a decent price among vintage toy collectors. Puppets with original strings intact and minimal wear on the painted wooden face command the highest values. The value heavily depends on the overall condition of the fabric and paint.