Restoring The Puppets Of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Posted on 12/19/2024 5:17:24 PM PST by nickcarraway
Some of the most memorable moments on PBS's long-running Antiques Roadshow happen when a guest learns their dusty attic find is worth a small fortune. They cry. You cry. It’s pure magic.
Equally great are the moments when an appraiser catches a glimpse of something out of the corner of their eye and instantly knows: “This is going to be special.”
A Tupperware Container Holding Christmas Magic That’s exactly what happened in 2005 when appraiser Simeon Lipman was at the table during an Antiques Roadshow taping in Providence, Rhode Island.
A man walked up carrying—of all things—a Tupperware container. Inside? Absolute nostalgic Christmas magic: the original Santa and Rudolph puppets from Rankin/Bass’s iconic 1964 holiday special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
It turns out the guest's aunt had worked at Rankin/Bass in the '70s and had acquired the puppets once production wrapped.
Lipman noted that puppets like these are typically in rough shape (these were the only two that didn’t melt in an attic), but while they weren’t perfect, they were still in surprisingly good condition—though Santa’s whiskers and Rudolph’s nose needed some repairs.
The iconic childhood treasures were initially appraised at $8,000 to $10,000. However, after being carefully restored, their nostalgic value skyrocketed. Considering they’re literal celebrities to millions of people worldwide, this is not surprising.
By 2020, the beautifully restored puppets hit the auction block and sold for a jaw-dropping $368,000.
Don’t worry about them being stashed away in another attic, though. The buyer donated these treasures to the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, where they’re now on display for the public to enjoy.
Restoring The Puppets Of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Cute!
It looks like Rudolph is puking. Too much egg nog?
Aha! I always suspected they were just puppets. Something about the way they moved. And also that real reindeer don’t live on the North Pole.
I heard they got a great deal on a condo there.
gross
On the other hand, my Bill and Hillary Clinton puppets went for 35 cents. Quite the disappointment.
Interesting. I remember those figures in seasonal reruns, but not the name. Nor did I ever think that they were puppets.
But I was also quite young...
It looks like Rudolph is puking. Too much egg nog?
Gorging on elf flesh. Very disagreeable.
Good possibility. The movie never showed Rudoph’s teeth.
Ya, something weird there. Always hanging out with that dentist elf.
Probably because you’re missing the complete set: Monica, Epstein, and Vince Foster. None of them killed themselves.
"Ready Santa!"
One day you are the most celebrated puppet in all of Hollywood, then before you know it, you are melting away on the Island of Misfit Toys.
Gotta love that show.
Full power!
I would recommend the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. Been there several times. A huge permanent exhibit is Jim Hensons’s creations.
The museum and its special exhibits are always well done.
I’ve watched Rudolph, since I was 5. I added claymotion keyword, since I remembered that about Rudolph. Then, I websearched it. Turns out, it is claymation.
Yes, animated figures, not puppets.
I have old shoes worth 10 million bucks. Now I just need to ind someone to buy them.
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