
Alexander Sanderson Designs is a UK based workshop that once only styled and restored vintage Pelham Puppets. Now our focus is on larger scaled (up to 20") original marionettes. Historical, theatrical and literary characters are brought to life as hand sculpted marionettes wearing researched, elaborate costumes. Please do send me a message via this blog if you have any questions; or leave a comment to let me know what you think - it would be greatly appreciated. We do accept commission work.
Wednesday, 10 September 2025
A second of our two latest puppets for sale
from the Grimm's fairy-tale Hansel & Gretel
The Gingerbread Witch

This marionette is now on sale here on eBay:
And here in our Etsy store:
This marionette measures approximately 20" tall and has a specially sculpted head, hands and feet/lower legs. She is strung to a two handed marionette, built within our workshop.
She has been styled as the cannibalistic Gingerbread Witch from the Grimm's fairy-tale Hansel and Gretel.
She is dressed in a black taffeta and spotted cotton gown with an apron hanging from her waist. Her costume is embellished with satin frills and dotted ribbons and her hat is decorated with a pile of faux candy.
A new handmade marionette from
Alexander Sanderson Designs!
Medusa
This marionette is on sale now here on eBay:
And here on sale at our Etsy store:
This marionette measures approximately 18" tall and has a specially sculpted head, hands and feet/lower legs. She is strung to a two handed marionette, built within our workshop.
Medusa was a tragic and beautiful figure from Greek mythology - who as a punishment for having been attacked by the God Poseidon she was transformed into a Gorgon who's gaze turned mortals to stone.
Her serpent hair and face have been specifically sculpted and hand painted. She is dressed in a cotton Grecian gown trimmed with silver braid.
Tuesday, 2 September 2025
Our Etsy shop is now live!
You can view it at:
You can view it at:
Alexander Sanderson Designs Etsy store!
It is stocked with the remaining three, unsold marionettes
from our Summer collection.
More new puppets will be listed in the next few weeks.
from our Summer collection.
More new puppets will be listed in the next few weeks.
Sunday, 24 August 2025
Monday, 18 August 2025
Info on when and where our new collection will be up for sale...
We received a very kind message asking when and where our new collection will be up for sale.
In reply, we will be releasing the new marionettes by this Sunday (24th of August) at the latest.
*Our Rumpelstiltskin was reserved and sold
on pre-sale to a valued regular customer.*
It will be a staggered release, in groups of two or three and will initially be sold on eBay and then, shortly after, placed in our new Etsy store, for sale on that platform.
As soon as the marionettes are available we will be posting the links and necessary details on this blog.
I hope that this is helpful!
Alex
The next of our larger scaled marionettes
from our new collection...
from our new collection...
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
*Sold*
The Pied Piper has specially sculpted head, hands, feet and pipe. He stands at approximately 18" tall.
His costume has been inspired by the classic tale which tells of his
driving plague of rats out of the town of Hamelin... then returning to steal their children.
driving plague of rats out of the town of Hamelin... then returning to steal their children.
His costume is a confection of layered fabrics. His doublet is of a traditional motley design constructed from plain and embroidered taffeta of different shades.
His hose are of a striped cotton and his cloak is of a patchwork print.
The clothing is embellished with silver braid, lace and a red rhinestone pendant.
He is strung onto a two handed controller produced in our workshop.
Saturday, 16 August 2025
The Next Two Marionettes From Our New Collection
Rumpelstiltskin
&
A Spectral Phantom
* both of these puppets have now been sold*
Rumpelstiltskin has a specially sculpted head, hands, feet/legs.
He is dressed in a long outer robe in a fabric printed in a vivid tarot design and lined in red taffeta.

His doublet is cut from a red brocade and richly trimmed with metallic gold braid. His linen undershirt is topped with a gathered lace frill.
His ornate breeches are cut from taffeta and overlaid with satin ribbons.
He is strung onto a two handed controller from our workshop.
The Spectral Phantom has a hand sculpted head and specially cast hands. He is at a smaller scale and of a far more simple design than the other creations in this collection.
His hooded robe is crafted from cotton lawn and a sheer muslin fabric, which has a painted, textured edge.
He is strung onto a single handed controller from our workshop.
Thursday, 14 August 2025
From our new collection, here are
the next two marionettes to be released for sale...
Anne Boleyn & Katherine Howard
Anne Boleyn
Katherine Howard
These marionettes measure approximately 18" tall and have specially sculpted heads, hands and feet/lower legs.
Both of these tragic wives of Henry VIII - they were cousins and both were beheaded - are dressed in rich velvet gowns trimmed with metallic braid/lace and pearl.
Their underskirts a cut from a rich brocade with gold ornaments hanging from their waists.
Both of these marionettes are strung to our two handed controllers, built in our workshop.
The first of our new collection - to be put up for sale next week!
Jadis the White Witch
from the Chronicles of Narnia
The first of our fully hand sculpted/dressed Marionettes.
She will be listed on eBay initially and then, if unsold, will stock our new Etsy shop.
She measures 19" high and is stung onto our own two handed controllers.
She is dressed in a taffeta and snowflake gauze gown, over which sits a white velvet and faux fur hooded robe.
A snowflake, glass jewel pendant sits below her neckline.
Every element of this puppet, including her icicle crown, is newly designed and created by Alexander Sanderson Designs.
Wednesday, 23 July 2025
An initial look at our first four completed marionettes - due for stringing - from our new, fully hand sculpted, larger-scaled collection.
The full collection will consist of seven newly designed marionettes.
Due to be released for sale by late September 2025!
*Please click image to enlarge*
From left to right:
*Anne Boleyn
*Rumpelstiltskin (reserved)
*The Gingerbread Witch
*Jadis, the White Witch, from the Chronicles of Narnia
We have also designed and constructed several of the needed controllers, which will now be strung to the puppets.
All of our new marionettes have hand sculpted heads, hands and lower legs.
The final three marionettes will be:
*A Spectral Phantom
*Queen Katherine Howard
*The Pied Piper of Hamelin
Due to the creative process the exact characters represented have changed in the sculpting process.
Wednesday, 4 June 2025
A Sneak Peek!
I am well on my way to creating a collection of fully crafted, large sized puppets for Alexander Sanderson Designs.
These puppets will be an average of 17" high and will be fully and individually sculpted & crafted.
Here is an image of three - of the seven planned puppets - heads, awaiting a sanding.
Some of the characters, built for my first collection, include:
The Snow Queen
Rumpelstiltskin
The Gingerbread Witch,
Queen Anne Boleyn
&
Queen Elizabeth I
More info to follow soon!
A New Commission Completed!
Elizabeth I and Lady Jane Grey
Elizabeth I and Lady Jane Grey
These two puppets were created, on request, for a past customer.
They asked me to create two Tudor themed puppets - The great Queen Elizabeth I and tragic Lady Jane Grey - to add to their collection.
Both have been fully repainted and wigs were created, so as to create an immediate effect as to the historical figures they are based upon.
Elizabeth wears a shot taffeta over-gown with an embroidered taffeta under-skirt and sleeves.
Her dress is embellished with satin bows, pearls (single and strung) and metallic gold lace. At her neck she sports a small lace ruff and a large whisk/standing ruff behind - this being decorated with a gathering of small satin roses.
Jane Grey wears a plush, red velvet over-gown and a silk brocade under-gown and gold brocade undersleeves. Her turned back 'greater sleeves' are lined with taffeta. She also dons a partlet, with a standing collar, which is crafted from taffeta and velvet.
Her dress is embellished with gold braid, pearls and a pendant upon her bodice. A gold chain and large solar charm hangs from her waist.
On her head she wears a decorative French hood with a back veil.
Alexander Sanderson Designs
Friday, 16 May 2025
A Special Commissioned Project!
Three Pelham Puppets Redressed as-
The Sanderson Sisters from the film 'Hocus Pocus'!
This commission was to recreate the three witches from the iconic Disney film - each holding a customised magical item, formed in polymer clay.
Their faces, feet, hands and hair - each created from specially produced wigs - have been freshly painted/styled to represent the personality of each character.
Winifred sports a rich velvet coat (lined with duchesse satin) and a taffeta under-gown: all trimmed with gilded lace and metallic gold stars. The gown is fastened with corset lacing at its front.
Mary Sanderson wears a tartan skirt, a red velvet corset bodice and a cotton lawn blouse. Around her waist she has a taffeta apron.
Details include gilded rings, velvet pockets and metallic gold lace.
Sarah Sanderson is dressed in an embroidered brocade, boned, corset - trimmed with glass beads. Her over-skirt is cut from taffeta and net and her under-skirt is crafted from red taffeta overlaid with gilded cobweb net - as are her cobwebbed sleeves.
These are creations from the workshop of
Alexander Sanderson Designs
Tuesday, 15 April 2025
A New Tudor Themed Puppet:
The Headless Ghost
The Headless Ghost
of Queen Anne Boleyn
This Pelham Puppet has been fully redressed as the headless ghost of the tragic second wife to King Henry VIII - Queen Anne Boleyn.
Anne was unjustly executed - by the sword - for adultery and high treason after only three years of being queen. Her ghost is said to haunt the Tower of London, Blickling Hall and Hampton Court Palace.
The gown and French hood are cut from a white velvet - with silver braided and metallic trim, studded with imitation pearls and her signature initial 'B' pendant. Her full underskirt and undersleeves are of a gold patterned brocade fabric and her turned back sleeves are lined with taffeta. The face has been fully repainted to represent the Queen and her hair has been specifically styled from new material. She rests her severed head within the crook of her arm.
She is strung using traditional Pelham colours on a small sized vintage Pelham controller.
This is a creation from the work-shop of
Alexander Sanderson Designs
Wednesday, 2 April 2025
Two New Arthurian Themed Puppets:
The Lady of the Lake &
The Lady of the Lake &
Morgan le Fay
Puppets based upon two important female figures from the legends of King Arthur.
Morgan le Fay - Morgan was King Arthur's magical half sister, who plotted against Camelot and was mother to Mordred, who was destined to kill Arthur in battle.
The mythical Lady of the Lake - also known as Nimuë. She is an enchantress who lives in the lake which surrounded the sacred isle of Avalon. She is most famous for gifting the sword Excalibur to Arthur and is a vital element in the tales of Arthur's life.
Morgan is dressed in an ornate medieval style gown, cut from red velvet and lined with red taffeta. Her underskirt is duchesse satin overlaid with metallic, gold embroidery. The costume is embellished with gold metallic lace, pearls and red, rhinestone jewels.
Her face - which has been remodelled around her cheek bones - hands and feet have been fully repainted to represent the character and her long dark hair has been specifically applied and styled over a red rhinestone band across her forehead.
The Lady of the Lake wears a watery medieval style gown, cut from pleated metallic silver cloth and shot blue taffeta layered with shimmering organza.
The costume is embellished with silver metallic lace. She wears a pearl belt and holds a silver sword.
Her face (which as been remoulded) hands and feet have been fully repainted - and embellished with glittery highlights in order to catch the light. Her watery toned hair has been specifically applied and styled, then topped with a silver filigreed headdress.
These are both creations from the work-shop of
Alexander Sanderson Designs
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)